Richard Hanson

1916 —2009

WINTHROP — Richard Henry Hanson, 92, died peacefully at his home on Aug. 6.

He was born Nov. 13, 1916, in Augusta, to the late Henry and Agnes (Hutchinson) Hanson.

Dick grew up in Augusta and worked with his father in the masonry trade until he was 26. He then traveled to Brooklyn, N.Y., and trained as a coast guardsman, and later a merchant seaman. He shipped out on the Henry Addams, and made seven trips on what was known as the ‘Murmansk Death Run’ into Russia — the deadliest merchant run of World War II.

After World War II, he went back into the construction trade as a stone mason. He worked in Baltimore and Texas before returning to Maine to work as a mason on several local churches. Later, he became a superintendent for Stewart and Williams, and then the Salter Corp. of Augusta. He supervised construction of the Seton Hospital, three dormitory buildings at Colby College, the Maine State Library, the Bates College Library, the Penobscot Bay Medical Center and a medical center in Hampton, N.H. He finished his career as an inspector working with Bunker and Savage Architects of Augusta.

He was a business agent secretary for 22 years of the 44 years that he was a gold card union member. He also belonged to the Hallowell Masonic Lodge and the Shrine Temple in Lewiston.

He was predeceased by his parents; two brothers, Rowland and Russell Hanson; two sisters, Elsie Hanson and Fern Bennett; his daughter, Janice Henderson; his granddaughter, Michelle Martin; his ex-wife and daughters’ mother, Mae; and his wife of 38 years and sons’ mother, Angie (Fuller) Hanson.

He is survived by his loving wife of 17 years, Kay (Drinkwater) Hanson; his daughter, Judy Davis and her husband, Al, of The Villages, Fla.; his sons, Kurt Hanson of Lafayette, La., Karl of Thomasville, Ga., and Dennis Hanson and wife, Merrie, of Winthrop; his sister, Evelyn Shaw of North Augusta, S.C.; son-in-law Larry Henderson of Nichols, N.Y.; his granddaughters and their husbands, Leslie Harris and Lou of Newport, Conn., Jody Carr and Pat of Phoenix, Ariz., and Amy Harr and Jeff of Cortland, N.Y.; great-grandchildren, Maria, Rachel, Matthew, Kelly Ann and Brian; great-great-grandson, Sean; step-children, Scott and Jeffrey Drinkwater and Linda Fencik; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.