In Memory

Bob Hanson

Hanson, Robert "Bob"
   
 
Robert "Bob" Hanson 1951 - 2008 A native Tucsonan, Bob was the third of five children born to Robert and Evelyn Hanson. He was always pleased to explain he was a member of the first graduating class of CDO High School. With a degree in aerospace engineering from the U of A he proudly made a career of service in the USAF, dedicated to this country which he loved. During his Air Force career, Bob earned multiple advanced degrees to further his work in the space shuttle program. Retiring as Lt. Colonel Hanson, he returned to Tucson where he worked on the update of the Whipple Observatory telescope, and then worked as Director of Operations for the Pima Air and Space Museum. With a never-ending sense of humor, he took great pleasure in toying with words, teasing friends and family, and telling great jokes. Born with a genuine love and appreciation for aviation, he delighted in nearly everything oriented to flying, from building RC models, to building a 7/8 scale Hawk P6-E with an auto conversion engine. If Bob was not in the shop creating, you could find him at the airport, probably getting ready to fly his 1946 Bellanca Cruiseair. Dancing is meant to be fun and no one had a better time on the dance floor. If he wasn't learning a new dance or dance step, he was happy to teach and share. It was his personal challenge to lead a lady onto the dance floor who had never danced before and to return her to her table, thrilled that she had danced an entire piece of music never once missing a step or stepping on his toes. The grateful smiles always gave him satisfaction. Bob was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his wife, Mary; his daughters, Melissa of Albuquerque, and Alison of Denver as well as his mother, Evelyn of Tucson, his sisters, Jane of Boston, Sally of Maui, Candace of Albuquerque; his brother, RJ of Pine Top, and two step-daughters, Amy of Tucson and Jennifer of Boulder, CO. A celebration of Bob's life will be held Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 11575 N. 1st Ave, Oro Valley.
Published in the Tucson Newspapers on 10/8/2008