Russell Kenneth Hanson

      Russell K. Hanson, 95, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and everybody's Uncle Russ passed away November 20, 2020 at home in Anaheim, California with his family by his side.      Russell was born July 28,1925 in Hayward, Wisconsin to Agnes and Edward Hanson. His father was killed in an accident in 1932, leaving his mother to raise 5 boys on her own. At the age of 12, while continuing to attend school, Russ went to work keeping greens at the Hayward Golf Club and setting pins in the bowling alley at the Anglers Tavern to help support the family. He was attending Hayward High School when Pearl Harbor was attacked and immediately told his mother that he wanted to join the Marines. She told him that he would have to graduate first, so he worked extra hard to graduate early, and on October 1, 1942 at 17 years old he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He went to boot camp in San Diego before being deployed in the South Pacific. In September of 1943 he was assigned to serve aboard the battleship USS Maryland (BB46). On Day 3 of the battle of Tarawa he was sent ashore to help bolster the troops that were suffering heavy losses. He was returned to the ship for medical treatment after being wounded and spent the rest of the war aboard ship as a light anti-aircraft fire controlman.      After the war he returned home and met his forever love, Phoebe (Boots) Feske of St. Paul Minnesota. They were married May 12, 1946 and settled in Ellsworth, Wisconsin where Russ was employed by the Wisconsin Bell Telephone Company, and began raising their family. After a day climbing telephone poles on a brutally cold and snowy day, Russ returned to the office and saw a notice seeking workers willing to transfer to the Pacific Telephone Company in Los Angeles. He remembered the palm trees and sunshine he had seen on his way to boot camp and immediately put in for the transfer, and in 1953 he moved the family to Los Angeles.    

      In 1956 Russ and Boots, now with 3 children, moved to Anaheim and bought a home. He worked out of the Lemon Street telephone company garage installing and repairing phones in the quickly growing suburb. In the early 1960’s he was assigned as the primary “telephone man” for Disneyland and the Bell System’s (now ATT) “America The Beautiful” exhibit. It was in that capacity that he met Walt Disney, and when Walt redecorated his apartment above the firehouse in a 1900s motif, Russ gave him a working vintage candlestick phone to add to the decor. In  early 1970 he was promoted to manager,  and oversaw the installation and maintenance of communications equipment for many of Anaheim's notable companies such as Autonetics, Aerojet, Quickset, KEZY radio and many others. Through his work he met and interacted with many famous people including Carl Karcher, John Wayne, Roy Rogers and President Richard Nixon. He retired in 1982 after 36 years of working for “Ma Bell”      From the time he was a boy growing up in Wisconsin Russ liked to hunt and fish. He also played golf and enjoyed watching sports, especially football and basketball, but his greatest love and passion was for his family and friends. He and Boots were the patriarch and matriarch of a tight knit family. Every holiday would find their house overflowing with family, friends and love. They frequently traveled to visit family and to attend his military reunions. They would jump in the car and drive across the country at the drop of a hat if someone needed help or support. Russ especially loved to watch his grandchildren and great-grandchildren play sports, and he frequently traveled to San Diego to do so. 

     Russ was known and admired by all who knew him as a kind, compassionate, and generous man. Matthew 23:11 says that the greatest among you will be your servant, and that describes Russell very well. He served his family, his country, and his fellow man. By example and with humility he inspired and touched the lives of many. Truly he left this world a better place. Russ and Boots were long-time members of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Fullerton.      He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years Phoebe (Boots) (nee Feske), his daughter Barbara Magellanes, his brothers Herbert, James, William, and Donald. He is survived by his sons David Hanson of Anaheim and Gary Hanson (Darrelyn) of Fontana. He is also survived by grandchildren, Kristin Reed (Matt) of San Diego, Josh Bailey (Christina) of Fallbrook, Daniel Hanson of Tucson, AZ,  Sheri Moore (Chris) of Amarillo TX, Russell Hanson of Los Angeles, and Peter Hanson of Fontana, and great-grandchildren Trevor Reed, Jake Reed, Calvin Hanson, Addyson Bailey, Kaleb Moore, Connor Moore, Jonah Moore and Remy Moore.     

A brief graveside service with military honors will be held at Riverside National Cemetery December 11, 2020 at 10:00 A.M.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warriors.