Gunder R. Hanson

Gunder R. Hanson age 84 of Detroit Lakes, MN died Friday May 6, 2011 at St. Marychr(39)s Essentia Health Oak Crossing in Detroit Lakes. Gunder Robert Hanson the son of Gilbert and Julia Hanson was born on the Hanson farm in Hickory Township, MN on November 1, 1926. Gunder was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters, Herman, Goodwin, Alma, Alfred, Mildred and Norman. Gunder attended elementary school at the Solberg School, a single room school house, for eight years and attended Goodrich High School for three years. He then transferred to Lincoln High school in Thief River Falls where he graduated in 1944. Following high school, Gunder joined the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater during WWII until he was discharged in1946. After leaving the Navy, Gunder worked at a number of construction jobs and farmed with his father on the family farm. In the winter of 1948 he attended Bemidji State Teachers College for a single quarter. He returned to farming in the spring of 1949 and farmed until the winter of 1950 when he enrolled at the North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo, ND. He graduated from there with a degree in Agricultural Education in 1953. He was the first of his family to receive a college degree. He later gained a Masterchr(39)s Degree in Agricultural Education in 1974. Following graduation from college, Gunder taught Vocational Agriculture at the High School in Hazen ND for two years. While teaching in Hazen he married Delores "Kitty" Ketterling from Napoleon, ND on August 22, 1954. In 1955 they moved to Perham, MN, where Gunder taught in the High School until he accepted a position at the newly established Vocational Technical Institute in Detroit Lakes, MN in 1966. He began as the coordinator of agriculture programs and later became the Director of Adult Education and Director of Satellite Programs on the White earth and Red Lake Indian Reservations. Gunder retired from the Vocational Institute in 1985. Gunder and his brother Alfred purchased the family farm from their mother in 1967. Together they operated the farm until 1972, when Gunder purchased the farm from his brother. He expanded his farming operation when purchasing the neighboring farm in 1990. He operated and managed the farm while living in Detroit Lakes. During his career in education, Gunder was involved in many civic and professional organizations. He was the commander of the Perham Legion Club; President of the Minnesota Adult Education Administration Association; on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Agriculture Teachers Association and President of the Detroit Lakes Kiwanis Club. He was a current board member of the Mahube Council, a position he held for the past 21 years. Gunder and Delores are members of Grace Lutheran Church and he served as both a member and as president of the church council since moving to Detroit Lakes in 1966. Gunder was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed numerous hunting and fishing trips to the Rocky Mountains, Alaska and Northern Canada with his hunting and fishing buddies and children. He was also a member of the Grace Lutheran Sunshine Boys, the Main Street Coffee Club and the Perham "Old Folks Home" fishing group. Surviving Gunder is his wife Delores "Kitty" Hanson; their children, Linda Hanson Bell, of Larimore, ND; Gregory Hanson, of Plymouth, MN; Jeffrey (Margit) Hanson, of St. Paul, MN; Timothy (Janet) Hanson, of Moorhead, MN; Daniel (Kathi) Hanson, of Savage, MN; eight grandchildren, Brady, Megan, Ryne, Taylor, Jackie, Jacob, Alexis, and Dylan; Sister-in-law; Alvina Hanson of Thief River Falls, MN, and many nieces and nephews. Preceding Gunder in death were his parents, and his six brothers and sisters. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.