Bill Hansen

Bill Hansen was a sweet man, with a sweet tooth, and a man who loved life. Bill was the kind of man you couldn't help but want to be around, with his great sense of humor and jolly personality. He enjoyed bringing joy to the lives of others, in any way he could. Bill Hansen was a man who didn't just take the cake; he was the icing on top, too.

The year was 1927, and America was resting in peaceful, quiet times, the lull before the terrible times of the Great Depression. Henry Ford was rolling out his innovative Model T automobile, the car that would change so much for so many. For William Oliver and Signe Marie (Nystrom) Hansen, the world would soon change much, as well, as they were expecting the birth of their first child. On a balmy fall Friday on October 7, 1927 in Chicago, William and Signe welcomed a baby son, a son they named William Robert Hansen.

William would later be joined by three siblings, sister Dorothy just 17 months later, followed by brothers Norman and Roger. His parents were of Norwegian and Swedish decent, and his grandparents were farmers in the town of Decatur, Michigan a few hours away.

Bill and his sister Dorothy were close in age, and remained very close their whole lives, and often got into mischief around his grandparents' farm when they were younger. His mother moved with the kids to the farm for awhile when Bill was growing up, while his father stayed behind in Chicago. They eventually reunited, and Bill went to school in the Windy City through the eighth grade, before shoving off to help work and provide for the family. The family had moved back to Michigan, to the charming town of Lawton, but the work Bill found didn't quite fit him. So his dad offered some fatherly advice: "If you're not going to work, then you should go into the service," his dad told him. So Bill did. He enlisted in the military in 1946, just after the country's dramatic victory in World War II, and was stationed overseas in Korea for most of his service, as our military began its buildup there before the start of the Korean Conflict.

Bill was discharged just before the start of that war, and he returned to Lawton after his service ended. Back home, Bill began dating a wonderful young woman named Nancy Ruth Ferguson, who he knew before he went into the service. It didn't take them long to fall in love, and the happy couple was married on November 30, 1950. The newlyweds moved into a home on Kalamazoo 's north side, and Bill took a job at Minor Pies as a baker, which was perfect for him. He was a sweet man, with a sweet tooth, and enjoyed seeing the happiness his creations brought others.

It didn't take long for Bill and Nancy to start a family, either. They were soon blessed with three wonderful sons, first Donald, then David, and finally Douglas. They raised their family right there on Kalamazoo 's north side, at a home on Ada Street, and later Fulford Street. In the 1970s, Nancy inherited her parents' home on North Main Street in Lawton, where they had many happy times, as well.

Bill was a great father, full of love and laughter with his sons, and the family did much together. Bill took them all to the local parks for picnics, to the drive-in movies, or fishing with him on his many outings. Bill was a devoted pan fisherman, and loved fishing all the local lakes with his boys. Truth be told, Nancy was always the disciplinarian of the two, while Bill was more of an old softy around the house.

Bill worked hard to provide for his family, and always put his loving wife and children first in his life. When his beloved baker's job at Minor Pies ended after 14 ½ years after the business was bought out and shut down (son Don says he hasn't had a good store-bought pie since!), Bill quickly found work. First he took a job at Beamo's for a short while, followed by a stint at Beech Products. Eventually, Bill landed a position at Durametallic in Kalamazoo, where he stayed until he retired in the early 1990s.

Bill was a man who loved life, and had many things he was passionate about. He was a huge Chicago White Sox fan, while his sister Dorothy grew up as a Cubs fan, the source of much good-natured ribbing and bantering between the two over the years. They never missed a chance to rub it in if their team was doing better than the other.

Bill also loved music, particularly Big Band, and "old school" country, like Ernest Tubb, Tommy Dorsey and Glen Miller, or a good orchestra piece. Son Don remembers fondly seeing his dad in the basement, ironing his clothes to perfection (he was in the military, remember), as he listened to his favorite tunes on the old Philco record player.

Bill loved a few shows on TV, too, everything from the Three Stooges to action shows like the A-Team and Walker, Texas Ranger. He also loved watching the champion dog shows on TV, thanks to his deep love for his canine companions. Bill's three dogs were more like a second set of children for him, you see. He had a longhair Chihuahua named Taco, a miniature dachshund named Mesha, and a Pekinese named Toby. He loved to talk "puppy talk" to his dogs, and spoiled them with table scraps and buckets of chicken he shared with them.

Bill spoiled himself a little, too, of course. He was a Little Debbie cakes fanatic, and he had to have some every day, his little treat to himself after all his hard work. He was a sweet man, with a sweet tooth, remember.

And of course, Bill loved his family most of all, especially his beloved wife Nancy. He loved to work out in the yard with her, tending to the garden, and the two even put up a fence in the yard together one summer. Sadly, Nancy died in 1995, and his son Douglas died in 2005. As Bill's health declined, he required nursing home care, first at Heartland HCC in Three Rivers, then at Fairview Nursing Home in Centreville.

Bill was a tremendously sweet man, a man with a sweet tooth, a sharp wit and an enormous heart. He loved bringing others joy more than anything, with a funny joke, a good story, or a special treat. Bill was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, and a man who did more than just take the cake. To those lucky enough to have known him, Bill Hansen was always the icing. He will be greatly missed.

Bill Hansen of Centreville died May 31, 2006 at Fairview Living Center in Centreville. Learn more about Bill, view his Life Story Film and visit with his friends and family Sunday from 4-8 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler & Thompson-Paw Paw, 60900 M-40 657-3870. A service to honor his life will be held Monday 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment at Oak Grove Cemetery, Lawton. He married Nancy Ruth ( Ferguson ) Hansen who preceded in death in 1995. He was also preceded by one brother Roger Hansen in 1990, and his son Douglas in 2005. Bill is survived by 2 children; Donald (Judy) Hansen of Centreville, David Hansen, of Marcellus, 5 grandchildren; Eric, Amy, David, Megan and Ryan, one sister Dorothy Potter of Mattawan, one brother, Norman (Marilee) Hansen of Portage, one daughter-in-law, MaryJo Hansen of Lawton, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. To read Bill's complete Life Story, archive a favorite memory, or sign the guestbook, please visit his personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com. Memorial contributions can be made to the Humane Society.