Official Obituary of
Gerald "Jerry" Hansen
October 19, 1930 ~ December 12, 2014 (age 84) 84 Years Old
Gerald Hansen Obituary
The Last Smelterman on the Hill dies at 84
Gerald M Hansen (Jerry) died at Anaconda Community Nursing Home December 12, 2014. Jerry was born October 19, 1930. He was particularly proud that that date was the anniversary of the surrender of the British forces under the command of Lord Cornwalis to General George Washington at Yorktown Virginia to end the Revolutionary War. This may have been the start of Jerry's great interest in history.
Jerry & I were born of a mixed couple, a Catholic, Irish woman Margaret L Moran and a Danish Mormon man, Swen Oggy Hansen. This has given us a unique view of life.
Jerry's upbringing was shaped by the fact of the Great Depression. He, my mother, father, grandmother and three Moran uncles occupied a small house on west Park Ave. The house was extremely crowded except for the times that the men in the house were out "riding the rails" in search of work.
Jerry had several great loves: his mother, his grandmother, the United States and Anaconda. His interest in history coupled with his love for Anaconda led to Jerry's ultimate avocation, The Marcus Daly Historical Society.
He was educated in local grade schools and graduated from Anaconda High in 1948 when the Korean War was on the horizon. He was drafted in 1952 and released from service in 1954. He served as a small arms repairman and assisted in disposal of unexploded ordinance. Like most of us, he disliked Basic Training but looked back proudly on his service in Korea.
Jerry was a learned man. His collegiate career spanned many years and included The University of Montana at Missoula and Western Montana College at Dillon. He frequently changed majors, which fed his curiosity but interfered with earning a degree in any field.
Jerry's studies were frequently interrupted by stints at the Smelter. He worked at the Ferro Manganese Department and with the Masons in the Reverberatory and Converter Departments. These were strenuous jobs for a tall skinny young man. When the Concentrator was closed at Anaconda, Jerry worked at The Weed Concentrator in Butte. When he ceased his formal studies, he returned to the Smelter where he worked in the in the Research Department and the Surface and Warehouse Departments. It was while he was working at the Warehouse that the Smelter was closed for the last time, October 1982. Jerry always maintained that he was the last Anaconda employee to leave the Smelter before The Cleveland Wrecking Company began the demolition and removal of all the facilities. Jerry never worked for pay since that day.
Jerry had an unusual lifestyle. He was a lifelong bachelor like his three uncles. After his parents died he lived alone. He had many good friends but didn't reach out to them often. In his youth, Jerry was a devout catholic but the changes that occurred with Vatican II disappointed him greatly. He suffered from Parkinson's and discovered that Bourbon reduced his tremors. He spent a great deal of his life alone reading and studying many topics including UFOs. Jerry's latter years were enlivened and blessed by the presence in his life of his cousin Richard (Rick) Thomas. Rick and his son helped Jerry and me with many plumbing problems and provided comfort and friendship.
But Jerry's overwhelming interest was Anaconda and his favorite venue was The Marcus Daly Historical Society. Jerry designed a business card in which he gave himself the title of "Historical Consultant". He was in fact of great aid to various authors writing about Anaconda, Montana and the Irish in America. But his greatest joy was in conducting tours of the museum and assisting people interested in learning more about their forebears who worked in the Smelter.
Like many siblings Jerry and I had a strained relationship for many years but in the face of personal tragedy, we became Brothers. Good Bye, Jerry. God be with you.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2014 at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Anaconda.
There will be one hour of visitation prior to the services at the church.
Military Honors will be accorded by the Anaconda American Legion Post #21 and the Montana Honor Guard at the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Anaconda.
217 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
Anacoonda, MT 59711
Gerald M Hansen (Jerry) died at Anaconda Community Nursing Home December 12, 2014. Jerry was born October 19, 1930. He was particularly proud that that date was the anniversary of the surrender of the British forces under the command of Lord Cornwalis to General George Washington at Yorktown Virginia to end the Revolutionary War. This may have been the start of Jerry's great interest in history.
Jerry & I were born of a mixed couple, a Catholic, Irish woman Margaret L Moran and a Danish Mormon man, Swen Oggy Hansen. This has given us a unique view of life.
Jerry's upbringing was shaped by the fact of the Great Depression. He, my mother, father, grandmother and three Moran uncles occupied a small house on west Park Ave. The house was extremely crowded except for the times that the men in the house were out "riding the rails" in search of work.
Jerry had several great loves: his mother, his grandmother, the United States and Anaconda. His interest in history coupled with his love for Anaconda led to Jerry's ultimate avocation, The Marcus Daly Historical Society.
He was educated in local grade schools and graduated from Anaconda High in 1948 when the Korean War was on the horizon. He was drafted in 1952 and released from service in 1954. He served as a small arms repairman and assisted in disposal of unexploded ordinance. Like most of us, he disliked Basic Training but looked back proudly on his service in Korea.
Jerry was a learned man. His collegiate career spanned many years and included The University of Montana at Missoula and Western Montana College at Dillon. He frequently changed majors, which fed his curiosity but interfered with earning a degree in any field.
Jerry's studies were frequently interrupted by stints at the Smelter. He worked at the Ferro Manganese Department and with the Masons in the Reverberatory and Converter Departments. These were strenuous jobs for a tall skinny young man. When the Concentrator was closed at Anaconda, Jerry worked at The Weed Concentrator in Butte. When he ceased his formal studies, he returned to the Smelter where he worked in the in the Research Department and the Surface and Warehouse Departments. It was while he was working at the Warehouse that the Smelter was closed for the last time, October 1982. Jerry always maintained that he was the last Anaconda employee to leave the Smelter before The Cleveland Wrecking Company began the demolition and removal of all the facilities. Jerry never worked for pay since that day.
Jerry had an unusual lifestyle. He was a lifelong bachelor like his three uncles. After his parents died he lived alone. He had many good friends but didn't reach out to them often. In his youth, Jerry was a devout catholic but the changes that occurred with Vatican II disappointed him greatly. He suffered from Parkinson's and discovered that Bourbon reduced his tremors. He spent a great deal of his life alone reading and studying many topics including UFOs. Jerry's latter years were enlivened and blessed by the presence in his life of his cousin Richard (Rick) Thomas. Rick and his son helped Jerry and me with many plumbing problems and provided comfort and friendship.
But Jerry's overwhelming interest was Anaconda and his favorite venue was The Marcus Daly Historical Society. Jerry designed a business card in which he gave himself the title of "Historical Consultant". He was in fact of great aid to various authors writing about Anaconda, Montana and the Irish in America. But his greatest joy was in conducting tours of the museum and assisting people interested in learning more about their forebears who worked in the Smelter.
Like many siblings Jerry and I had a strained relationship for many years but in the face of personal tragedy, we became Brothers. Good Bye, Jerry. God be with you.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2014 at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Anaconda.
There will be one hour of visitation prior to the services at the church.
Military Honors will be accorded by the Anaconda American Legion Post #21 and the Montana Honor Guard at the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Anaconda.
Mass of Christian Burial
DEC 19. 10:30 AM (MST)
Holy Family Catholic Church217 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
Anacoonda, MT 59711
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