Allen Carl Hanson

Born August 15, 1924 in Ohama, Nebraska, he was the only child of Lee and Wilma Hanson. After graduating from North High School in Omaha, Al attended the University of Omaha until WWII intervened.

Al enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943, and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24. After serving in New Caledonia and Bougainville, he was shipped back to the US for officer training. He had completed half of his training at Colorado College when the war ended.

After the war, Al made use of the GI bill to earn his B.S. degree from Iowa State University in Ames. While there Al met Evelyn Swearingen, also a student, and they married on January 18, 1947 at the Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames, Iowa. After Al completed his studies in Geology, he and Evelyn moved to California where the prospects for geologists were more promising than in the midwest.

Allen and Evelyn settled in Whittier, California. Al initially worked several jobs, including as a civil engineer for the California State Lands Commission, before Tidewater (later renamed Getty Oil) hired him as a petroleum geologist. Al's career in the oil industry spanned 33 years, most of it with Tidewater in Whittier and then in Ventura, where he transferred in 1959. Outside of work Al was active in the Association of Petroleum Geologists and served a term as President of the local AAPG chapter.

Al greatly enjoyed music, sports and travel. His mother's enthusiasm as a piano teacher resulted in an early introduction to music. Although Al could play the piano his instruments of choice were the clarinet and the saxophone, which he started playing quite early. He progressed from playing in high school bands to jazz dance bands in college. Focusing on family and his career in his middle years, Al gave up organized musical activities but kept improving his skills by playing along with the radio or phonograph on Sunday afternoons.

After retirement Al picked up where he left off at college and co-founded the local dixieland band "Raspberry Jam". They played in venues around the county including festivals in Santa Paula, Fillmore and in the Ventura Fair Parade. Eventually finding it difficult to keep up with the band, Al continued playing sax at home with his son Brian accompanying on the piano until quite recently.

An avid sportsman, Al enjoyed playing handball and racketball for many years. He took up golf and played with Evelyn and his friends from the oil business. Skiing was another passion he pursued from his youth. He especially loved going on ski trips with his son and two grandsons, showing everyone that he still had the "stuff" to keep up with them!

Throughout his life Al enjoyed traveling. When the children, Brian and Nancy, were out of school each summer he would pack the family in the car for trips to various destinations such as Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Canada, and once across the country to Washington, DC and New York City. In later years Al and Evelyn went on travel tours, venturing to destinations throughout Europe, and to Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean.

Active in the local community, Al was a long-standing member of the Orchard Community Church (formerly Eastminister Presbyterian), serving terms as Deacon and Elder. He was also active in the local investment club and a member of the American Legion.

Allen is survived by his wife Evelyn, son Brian (Linda), daughter Nancy, grandsons David (Carla) of Ft. Collins, CO, Todd of Santa Monica, and cousins Elaine Badgley Arnoux, Howard Frazeur, & Letitia Moore.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 1:00 pm, at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, with The Reverend Wayne Kempton officiating. Burial will take place at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, in Ventura.