Martin J Hanson

Martin was born and grew up in Portland, Oregon. As a youth he played the accordion and was an accomplished player marching in the Rose Festival when he was twelve years old. He attended Benson High School and after graduation worked in the railroad yards with his father. As many other young men at the time, he enlisted in the service when war was declared after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in the US Navy from December 27, 1941 through the end if the war, taking an honorable discharge on October 7, 1945. He received several medals and a letter of commendation from Pacific Commander William Halsey. After service he attended a vocational school in Kansas City to study piano tuning and repairs. He then returned to Portland and established himself as a self-employed professional piano tuner/technician. During that time he married his first wife, but was widowed when she died a few years later. After that he met his second wife Valborg Kjosness, a prominent pianist and teacher residing in Newport, Oregon. They were married on August 3, 1952, and lived in Portland where they raised their two sons, Martin and Michael Hanson. They also shared a lifelong love of music, attending Symphony and Opera during most of their lives. Martin and Valborg shared a full life together and loving marriage of more than 50 years. They have six grandchildren. Valborg passed away in December 2002. Martin loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and hiking. He was an avid reader of books and looked forward to the arrival of his weekly New Yorker magazine.

He is survived by his two sons, Martin (and Dacia) Hanson and children (Rachael and Christian), and Michael (and Cathy) Hanson and children (Mia, Astrid, Chloe and Phoebe). Donations of remembrance may be made to the Oregon Symphony and/or Portland Opera.

A Memorial Service was held at held at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland, OR 97086 at 9:30 am on Friday, October 26, 2012.