Harlan Eugene Hansen

Harlan E. (Hal) Hansen passed on at the age of 91 in the comfort of his home August 1, 2020 due to causes incident to age. Dad was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, California where he excelled in school and enjoyed many hours of recreation and sunshine at Avila Beach. He is the third of four children of Earl Eugene Hansen and Trilby Walton Hansen. Dad developed a strong work ethic that would serve him well throughout his life as he began working at the age of 12 selling newspapers to and shining the boots of soldiers at Camp San Luis Obispo through World War II. Following high school, Dad and his family returned to Salt Lake City where he soon met the girl who would become the love of his life, Barbara Dunn. Mom and Dad were married in 1949 at the Lion House and the marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple.

The young couple relocated to California where dad received his engineering education at California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo. Shortly thereafter, Dad was inducted into the US Army in 1952 during the height of the Korean War and served two years. Upon returning to Utah, Dad was employed by the Sperry Utah Engineering Lab as and an electronic design engineer. He later accepted a position with Hercules Aerospace Division as an aerospace engineer and program manager where remained for 23 years while he and Mom raised their family in Holladay, Utah. Following his early retirement from Hercules, Dad and his son Steve, worked together investing in, developing and managing numerous family apartment properties as well as assisted living and senior apartments in Utah and Texas. Dad was a licensed Utah Principal Broker and a Certified Property Manager, later becoming the President of the Utah affiliate of the national Institute of Real Estate Management. Dad and Steve worked together on and off for more than 27 years until they sold their last property and Dad fully retired.

Mom and Dad spent much of their retirement at their winter home at Los Prados in Las Vegas where Dad was able to play many rounds of golf, his lifelong favorite sport. Dad had a great passion for life and always projected energy, enthusiasm and optimism. He was seldom idle and spent his life eagerly engaged in worthwhile pursuits. His business successes came as a result of his strong work ethic, gregarious personality and innate business acumen. However, more importantly, Dad was a true family man, never missing an opportunity to initiate and participate in family functions and offer support, counsel, and encouragement to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was most content at home with Mom and family. Dad placed a great value in the eternal nature of families and he viewed his family as his greatest accomplishment. Baptized at age 8, Dad was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and performed ordinances and served in many callings in the church. Some of his proudest moments in the church were priesthood ordinations for his sons.

Dad is preceded in death by his mother and father, his sister Virginia, his brother Raymond, and his grandson Adam Bishop. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Barbara, his son Donald, Daughter Pamela Bishop (Eric), son Steven (Christie), fourteen grandchildren, twenty-eight great grandchildren and his brother, Richard. A funeral service will be held Saturday, August 8 at 11:00 AM at the Valley View 14th Ward meeting house located at 1985 E. 3900 S. Due to COVID-19, attendance at the funeral will be limited to family, however, all are welcome to attend the graveside service at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery, Rosemont Section, at 12:30 PM following the funeral. Masks and social distancing are requested for funeral and graveside attendance.