James Elbert Hansen

James Elbert Hansen of Henderson, NV, passed away on December 21st after a long illness. Jim, as he was known to most, originally hailed from Richfield, UT, was born on June 13, 1944, and was the third of seven children in the Elbert and Donna Hansen family.

After graduating from Richfield High School, Jim served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in France and Belgium for two years. There he gained an appreciation of the French language, culture and food (good bread and cheese especially) that remained with him for the rest of his life.

After returning from his missionary service, he attended Southern Utah University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and more importantly met and married Randi Petersen 54 years ago this month.

After graduation he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he trained as a cryptanalyst (code breaker) and served as a member of the what was then known as the Army Security Agency. He served in Vietnam where he earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. As the war wound down, he was given an honorable discharge in 1971 Staff Sergeant.

After completing his military service, Jim earned his Masters of International Management (MIM) from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management and began a career in banking that would span more than 30 years. His first retirement didn’t stick and he began a second career as an adjunct professor teaching International Business at both the University of Akron and John Carroll University. Teaching was a profession he thoroughly enjoyed and he excelled at bringing his real-world work experience into his classrooms.

His true joy in life, however, was his family. He is survived by his three younger sisters, Sue Ann Curtis, Donna Downing and Mary Blackburn; his loving wife, Randi, and their children, Chelle Leyva (Joseph), Jared Hansen (Tera), Megan Matis (Jason) and Jennifer Hamner (John), as well as nine grandchildren: Mason, Ashton, and Dallon Hansen; Mia, Riley and Trent Matis; Kennedi, John and Skylar Hamner.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Elbert and Donna Hansen; his siblings Carl Hansen, Emalee Curtis and John Hansen and his granddaughter Raegan Hamner.

Visitation will be on Thursday December 30, 2021 from 10:00-11:00 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 801 Arrowhead Trail, Henderson, NV, with funeral services to immediately follow at 11:00 am.

The funeral will also be broadcast via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/99816214509).