He was born in Portland, March 14, 1931, the son of Floyd and Eleanor (Gould) Hanson. After graduating Sanford high school, “Buddy,” as family called him, served his country in the U.S. Navy on the USS Cascade as a machinist mate. Upon returning home, he went to work for Central Maine Power as a lineman, where he took on the knickname “Boomer.”
He had an uncanny ability to remember each and every tote road he’d seen on the job, which came in handy when he took his boys out hunting, fishing or just going for a ride. Richard loved spending time with the kids, hunting, fishing, coaching Little League or just watching a good Red Sox Game, where he surely could have been the coach. He was a member of the Sanford-Springvale Fish and Game Club and enjoyed his weekly cribbage games up until this past year. above all of his activites, family came first. The times he was spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will forever be precious memories.
Boomer was a quiet yet giving man who took pride in helping others and raising money for the children’s hospital. He was a volunteer firefighter in Springvale; active member of the Springvale Lodge #190 AF & AM where he was Past Master, Scottish Rite Valley of Portland, KORA Temple Shrine Club AAONMS of Lewiston; past captain of KORA Renegades unit; York County Shrine Club; York County Shrine Club Blue Lodge Degree Team and Put Stevens Royal order of Jesters.
Richard was predeceased by his first wife, Joan (Steinbrecher) Hanson, second wife, Rosaline (Dorval) Hanson, two sons, Richard Hanson, Jr. and Gary Hanson; brother Bruce Hanson and step-son Ronald S. Dyer. Surviving are his daughter, Sharon Kerner and husband Stephen of Biddeford; sister Faye Ricker of Springvale; daughter Wendy (Sjstrom) Shimos and Butch Webster; step-daughter in law Patty Dyer; step-daughter Kathy Roberts; eight grandhildren, Richard Hanson III, Ashley Hanson, Marisa (Hanson) Penney and husband Brad, Tyler Hanson, Rebecca Kerner, Christy (Webster) Dunn and husband Eddie, Meghan (Webster) VanBuskirk and husband Rob, Sonja Dyer; seven great-grandchildren; and niece, Judy Morley.
A time of visitation will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 8th from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Johnson Funeral Home, 26 Market St., North Berwick, Maine with a Masonic Service at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be at the funeral home on Wednesday at 10 a.m. followed by interment in the Riverside Cemetery, Springvale.
Friends who wish may contribute to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA, 01104-2396
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