Gordon Hansen

Gordon H. Hansen, of Jamestown, ND and Sun Lakes, AZ, passed away peacefully on April 5th in St Paul, MN. Gordon was born on July 5, 1922 in Jamestown. His parents, who preceded him in death, were Eda E. (Dahl) and Byron G. Hansen. He also was preceded in death by his aunt, Clara A. Dahl. He graduated from Jamestown High School in 1940 and attended Jamestown College for two years. He transferred to North Dakota State University to join ROTC but, after two quarters, he was called into active duty in the Air Corps to serve in WWII. He joined Alpha Tau Omega fraternity while at NDSU.

During high school, Gordon was involved in chorus, band, and served as Master Councillor of DeMolay; took piano and organ lessons, and rode the family horses with his father, Byron, and his bride-to-be, Charlotte Helgeson. He was great friends with a group, to which Charlotte belonged, who called themselves The Harpies.

Charlotte and Gordon were married on October 31, 1945 about a year after Charlotte graduated from the University of Minnesota, with a BS in Medical Technology and graduate work in X-ray Technology, and while Gordon was still in the service. After completing military duty, Gordon and Charlotte moved to Washington, DC where Gordon completed a BA degree in Business Administration in the School of Government at George Washington University. Their daughter, Jo-Ida, was born on October 2, 1947. After Gordon?s graduation in December, the family moved from Washington, DC back to Jamestown, where he joined the family owned business, The Jamestown Sun, first working in advertising and later as publisher of the Sun and president of Hansen Brothers, Inc. During his time as publisher, the Sun and its journalists and photographers received many awards from the National Publishers Association and from the National Food Writers Association. Gordon and Charlotte sold The Jamestown Sun in 1988 and he retired as publisher in December of 1991.

Gordon was deeply invested in community service, fraternal, educational, and religious activities. He was member and Worshipful Master of the Jamestown Masonic Lodge. He also was Illustrious Master of Adoniram Council No. 3; Emminent Commander of

Wi Ha Ha Commandery, High Priest of No. 4, Red Cross of Constantine, and a member of the Knights of theYork Cross of Honor, Order of Eastern Star, Scottish Rite Valley,

El Zagal (ND) and El Zaribah (AZ) Shriners, Royal Order of Jesters, and the Shrine Clowns. Gordon served as the Grand Master of the North Dakota Masonic Lodge, as Potentate of the El Zagal Shrine Temple, and as Attendant General of the North Dakota Red Cross of Constantine. He also served as Jamestown DeMolay Dad (receiving the DeMolay Dad of the Year award twice), as a member of the DeMolay Supreme Council, State DeMolay Dad, and chairman of the DeMolay Foundation. Awards from DeMolay included Representative DeMolay, Chevalier, and Order of Leather Apron.

Gordon was selected as Jamestown Citizen of the Year in 1995 and received the Greater North Dakota Civic Leadership Award in 1996. His many civic activities included the Chamber of Commerce, United Fund Board, Salvation Army Board, Civic Music Board, American Legion, Elks, Lions Club, and chair of the American Foreign Exchange Student Committee.

Gordon always believed in the positive influence of Jamestown College on the city of Jamestown and served as a college Trustee, Trustee Emeritus, president of the Jamestown College Overseerers, and a member of the North Dakota Independent College Foundation. In 1997, Gordon and Charlotte were inducted into the College Hall of Fame and in 2010, they received honorary doctorates from Jamestown College in recognition of their long service and commitment to the college.

Gordon was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Jamestown and the Sun Lakes Methodist Church in AZ. He served on various church committees, the Administration Board, the Trustees, and as a Lay Leader.

Two of Gordon?s joys in life were music and dancing. He belonged to the Methodist choirs in Jamestown and Sun Lakes, was a 50 year member and president of the Jamestown Choralaires, and belonged to the Sun Lakes Southwest Singers. He and Charlotte were leaders of the scandalous young students who introduced the Jitter Bug to Jamestown College, and they belonged to several dance clubs in ND and AZ. Gordon was known world wide (really!) for his rendition of the Funky Chicken dance. He also performed dance solos during Choralaires concerts to songs like Hello, Dolly and Ballin? the Jack. He would rehearse in the basement of their home every night for months in preparation for the big event. Trips to New York City for Broadway Musicals were among his favorite.

Gordon and Charlotte traveled extensively visiting all seven continents and over 100 countries making them eligible for membership in the Travelers? Century Club. Through the American Publishers Association they had the opportunity to meet many world leaders during their international travels. Gordon also was a ?trailing spouse? on many of Charlotte?s Food Writer trips that took them around the world. Three trips that he always remembered with enthusiasm were China in 1979, Antarctica in January, 2001, and the North Pole in July, 2001.

Gordon loved cats (and dogs, too, but especially cats) and was often seen jogging or walking in Jamestown and Sun Lakes wearing a kitty themed t-shirt. He loved throwing a good party and planned many surprise parties for Charlotte?s birthday and their anniversary. Once Jo-Ida outgrew trick or treating (remember that Gordon and Charlotte were married on Oct 31st), they were able to actually celebrate their anniversary, and Gordon treated Charlotte to celebrations with their travel friends all over the world. Gordon also enjoyed long cups of coffee and would never turn down ice cream or a cookie. He played a mean game of racquetball, volleyball, croquet, Dominoes, Sorry, and bridge. On those occasions when he was master of ceremony he displayed a wonderful and clever sense of humor.

Gordon and Charlotte were heavily invested in raising their daughter, Jo-Ida. Friday evenings were reserved for board games on the floor in front of the living room fireplace (every Christmas Gordon bought a new game to try), family gatherings always included many games of Canasta, and they were willing chaperones for any event that came along. Gordon even assisted Troop Leader Charlotte on a two week excursion from Jamestown to Washington, DC, New York City, and Niagara Falls with the 18 members of Girl Scout Troop 40 all of whom remained close to his heart forever.

Gordon would do almost anything for his daughter, Jo-Ida, (except let her get her driver?s license before she was 16) including enduring mice living in the basement as part of her science projects and driving her science exhibits to state and national competitions. One year he and Charlotte drove from Jamestown to Baltimore, in their station wagon that was loaded with 10 aquariums, to get Jo-Ida?s exhibit to the National Science Fair (Jo-Ida was traveling by bus with the other North Dakota competitors). Every night they would haul all those aquariums into their motel and of course, back out and into the car in the morning. He put up with large, all night teen age slumber parties and all the nonsense that accompanies them. And, along with Charlotte, attended every performance in which Jo-Ida was involved including surprising her with a visit during her acting debut at Macalester College. He was very proud that she earned her PhD, that she joined the University of Minnesota faculty, and that her research and scholarly work warranted promotion to full professor. Unlike his daughter who is a bit of a sports fanatic, Gordon had little interest in team or professional sports. Yet, he tried to be up to date on the Gophers, Twins, and Vikings as well as the latest with Tiger Woods just because he knew that was an interest of hers. Until a few years ago when concentration was too difficult, Gordon wrote Jo-Ida a letter every Sunday evening without fail.

After retiring, Gordon and Charlotte built a home in Sun Lakes, AZ. For six months of the year they were vigorously engaged in that community and in May would return to Jamestown to re-engage with the home town they loved. Their life was a whirl of exotic trips, parties, club events, dances, concerts, and civic and college activities. One of their last trips with Jo-Ida and her husband, John Campbell (Gordon really liked and respected John and during the last year always brightened when John visited him even though John gave him ?tests? of current events, astronomy, and geography ? because ?that?s what college professors do?), was a tour of Western North Dakota that had a heavy emphasis on golf. They attended plays, toured the Badlands, traveled the Lewis and Clark trail, and visited museums with Jo-Ida and John, and then they wiled away the time reading a good book while ?the kids? played spectacular courses like Hawktree in Bismarck, Bully Pulpit in Medora, and Red Mike Links of North Dakota near Williston.
Christmas 2010 they travelled to St Paul to spend the holiday with Jo-Ida and John. Many events were planned ? concerts, dance performances, dinners out on the town, and a leisurely Christmas day with Santa stockings, champagne brunch and turkey dinner at

Jo-Ida and John?s new home. However, Charlotte suffered a series of set backs that left them spending Christmas in a surgery waiting room and subsequently ?stuck? in the Twin Cities and unable to return to Jamestown. Even as his own health began to fail this year, Gordon never stopped worrying about Charlotte and their cat, Bonnie (who moved to the Twin Cities to be with them). As long as they were all right, he was satisfied.

Simply put, Gordon, who treated others with kindness and respect, made the world a better place. He will be greatly missed and leaves a wonderful legacy for his family, friends, and community. Jo-Ida and Gordon used to say ?See you later alligator? and the response was ?After awhile crocodile.? They ended their visit on the eve of April 4th in that manner. Gordon passed away very early the morning of April 5th.