Henry Raymond “Hap” Hannon

He was descended from farmers with deep roots in Missouri plus several of the original land grant families of Texas. As a young child, his family nicknamed him “Happy” due to his jovial and gregarious nature. The nickname was shortened to “Hap” in adulthood.

He was born during the Great Depression in Lindsay, California and spent most of his childhood in Gridley, California surrounded by his extended family that had moved west to California to escape the dustbowl and crop failures in the Midwest.

Hap was a US Army veteran and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. Upon his return stateside, he used the GI Bill to attend NW Missouri State College majoring in Mathematics and earning a degree in Secondary Education. He spent a career in manufacturing leadership positions in Missouri and various mid-Atlantic states. In 1979, Hap and his family settled in the Atlanta area. He later retired to Athens and spent his golden years traveling, golfing, and remodeling homes. Hap was a long-time member of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Athens.

Hap is survived by his four children Michael Copeland (Janis), Jeff Hannon (Katherine), Christopher Hannon (Lisa), and Patty McIver (Russell). He is also survived by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry L. Hannon and Elsie M. (Alexander) Hannon. His wife, Janice (Farneti) Hannon, also preceded him in death.

The family would like to thank Mary Jo Johnson (Elder Care Coordinator) and granddaughter Rebecca (McIver) Hunt for their generous assistance with Hap as he aged.

A graveside service will be held on February 27th at 3pm at Oconee Hill Cemetery.

Since Hap grew up during the Great Depression experiencing poverty and food insecurities, the family asks that expressions of sympathy be made as donations to your local food bank.