Neil Hansen, son of the late Walter Thorwald and Doris Ethel (Burt) Hansen, was born May 16, 1939, in Seattle, Wash., and passed away May 14, 2020, at Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mountain Grove. He was 80 years, 11 months and 29 days of age.
Neil was raised in Alaska and live around Sitka and Kodiac Island. He worked on fishing boats before joining the Army with the 4th Infantry Division, Combat Engineers. He served in Germany and Fort Lewis, Wash.
After his military service, he moved to northern Arkansas with his parents before moving to Mountain Grove. He married Norma Whittenberg, widow of Graham J. Whittenberg, on Oct. 5, 1972. They bought a home on Dorris Avenue in Mountain Grove and lived there until Norma passed away in 2003.
Neil worked briefly for Lone Star Steel in Daingerfield, Texas. Locally, he worked for MFA service station and was a service technician for Hunter Oil Company in Mountain Grove. Later, he started his own service station maintenance business and retired in 2004.
In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting and liked reloading his own shells. Besides his parents and his wife, Neil, was preceded in death by a step-son, Graham M. Whittenberg.
He is survived by two step-sons, Phillip L. Whittenberg and his wife, Amy, of Bartlett, Tenn., and Stephen E. Whittenberg and his wife, Helen, of Seymour; one step-daughter-in-law, Nancy Whittenberg, of Morristown, Tenn.; one sister, Judy, of Kodiac Island, Alaska; four step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services for Neil Hansen were held Friday, May 22, 2020, at 2 p.m. at Oak Forest Cemetery, Norwood, with the Rev. Gary Fry officiating. Burial was in Oak Forest Cemetery under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Memorial contributions may be made to Oak Forest Cemetery in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
