John P. Hansel

John (JP) was born on September 11, 1924 one of four children of Charles F. and Kathryn (Denman) Hansel in Cranford, NJ. John attended Lawrenceville School and Princeton University where he participated in the Marine Corps V-12 Officers Training program during World War II. He continued his training at Quantico when the war ended. In 1945, he married his childhood sweetheart, Frances Soule and they settled in Riverside, Conn., where they raised five children.

In 1946, John joined his brother, Cap, and his father in the family business, Filtrine Manufacturing Co. in Brooklyn, NY, where he eventually became President, moved the company to Waldwick, NJ, in 1955, then to Harrisville, NH, in 1971, and finally to Keene, NH in 1998. His leadership secured Filtrine’s reputation as a leader in drinking water systems and process water chilling with installations in some of the finest buildings in the country including the White House, the United Nations Building and the National Gallery of Art.

John’s passion for the American elm inspired him to found the Elm Research Institute in 1967 to fight the Dutch Elm Disease which was killing elm trees all across America. That organization still exists today and has propagated and shipped thousands of resistant trees throughout the country.

After moving the family business to Harrisville, he took on two new projects: installing a water turbine in the old Cheshire Mill and keeping a major highway from being constructed through this rural countryside. He formed No East-West Highway, a community organization which ultimately won a court case against NH DOT which put a stop to their highway expansion plans.

John was an avid sailor. He started a frostbiting series at Riverside Yacht Club with a 10’ Dyer Dink that has grown in popularity even to this day. With his first mate, Frannie, and crew of 5 kids, he spent countless days sailing his 42’ schooner Billy Bones throughout Long Island Sound and down east. Even after moving inland to Harrisville, he acquired the Billy Bones II and spent as much time as he could sailing the coast of Maine.

John loved to bird hunt, fly fish, ski, raise Norwegian Fjord horses and Devon cattle. He served as a member of the NH Fish and Game Commission. After retiring from Filtrine at age 88, he bought a ranch in Montana – as if he didn’t have enough else on his plate.

John is predeceased by his beloved wife of 71 years, Frannie, and countless other close friends he was proud to know. He leaves behind his five children: Carla Hansel and her husband, Scott Young; Parker Hansel and his wife, Sally; Peter Hansel and wife, Bridget; Turner Hansel and his wife, Margie; David Hansel and his wife, Terri; as well as 15 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

There will be a private celebration of John’s life later in the spring.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Trout Unlimited (www.TU.org) or Harbor Care New Hampshire Veterans Services (www.HarborCareNH.org/Veteran-Services).