James “Jim” LeRoy Hanson, 75, of Clear Lake, Iowa, died Wednesday Feb. 3, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa, from pancreatic cancer.
There will be a gathering of family and friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Feb. 6, 2016, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, Iowa, with a time of sharing at 1 p.m., followed by military honors provided by the Clear Lake V.F.W. Inurnment will be at a later time in the Clear Lake Cemetery. Family suggests memorials to James L. Hanson Memorial Fund.
Jim was born Feb. 18, 1940, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of LeRoy and Anna Mae (Louloff) Hanson. At an early age his father passed away while serving in the Navy during war times.
He grew up on his grandparent’s farm, until his mother married Don Schmitz and they then moved to Jesup, Iowa. He attended school in Jesup.
He went to work for John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa, until he enlisted in the United States Navy and served during the Vietnam War.
He moved to Mason City following the service and went to work for Good Year Tire. He married Julie Kramer Oct. 20, 1965, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They moved to Oelwein, Iowa, where he was service manager at the Good Year Tire Store. He later went to work at the Union 76 Station in Altoona, as service manager.
He started his law enforcement career in 1974 serving at Mitchellville and Bondurant, and in 1976 they moved to Clear Lake where he served on the Clear Lake Police Department until he retired in 1998.
He enjoyed driving his truck around the lake and especially detailing his truck and everybody else’s. He drove street stock #10 for many years in Mason City and Webster City. He enjoyed meeting his 3 p.m. group at the Clear Lake V.F.W.
He was a Life member of the Clear Lake V.F.W.
He is survived by his wife Julie Hanson, Clear Lake, Iowa; two children, Kim (Cole) Christy, Clear Lake, Iowa, and Todd (Tracey) Hanson, Clear Lake, Iowa; four grandchildren, Cody Christy, Tyler Christy, Haley (Alex) Hanson and Lauren Hanson; one great-grandson, Kade James Hanson; three brothers, Gene Hanson, Evansdale, Iowa, Bud (Diane) Hanson, Waterloo, Iowa and Steve (Barb) Schmitz, Waterloo, Iowa; two brothers-in-law, Larry (Joan) Kramer, Poulsbo, Washington, and George (Mary) Kramer, Baudette, Minnesota; two sisters-in-law Janice (Gary) Lemon, Fairmont, Minnesota, and Joyce (Jim) Pruismann, Altoona, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy and Anna Mae Hanson; stepfather Don Schmitz; granddaughter Kaitlin Hanson; mother and father-in-law, Harold and Alice Kramer; brother-in-law Dennis Kramer; and sister-in-law JoAnn Kalvig.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, IA; 641-357-2193, ColonialChapels.com
