Rodney James Hansen was born on Feb 25, 1929, in Wilbert, MN. He passed away on Monday, August 5, 2024 at Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong, Iowa at the age of 95.
At 1 week of age his grandma Sophie took him to raise, as Sophie had just lost a 14-year-old daughter. Sophie told Pearl that she would be able to go on and have more children. Rodney lived with his grandparents; Ferdinand and Sophie, on their farm in Gridley until 1936, then to a farm south of Dolliver until 1941, when they moved to Armstrong, Rodney moved out in 1950. He attended elementary school in Maple Hill and Dolliver, graduated from eighth grade at Armstrong; and then began working for many local farmers. He learned how to drive a car and tractor, cut and hauled hay, milked cows, did chicken chores and shocked oats for $35.00 a month and room and board.
As a young man, Rodney became an avid roller skater; he was very proud of the fact that he could do the splits on roller skates. Rodney joined the Marines in 1951, where he was a heavy equipment operator and mechanic, and was discharged in 1953.
He married Carolyn June Farmer on Nov. 21, 1953, in Armstrong. They had six boys and one daughter – Wendell, Melinda, Bruce, Thomas, Marvin, Stanley and Maurice. They lived north of Armstrong from 1953-1959. They moved west of Graettinger where he worked for Bert Farmer, his father-in-law, until 1962. At that time, they moved to Wallingford until 1999. Rodney worked for Boggess Construction from 1962-1982. Rodney continued construction work with Rohlin Construction until 1994. After retiring from road construction, he got his CDL and drove an 18-wheeler for Pacific Enterprise from 1994-1995. Carolyn rode with him many times and they were able to visit 46 states together. In 1999, they moved to Armstrong where Rodney worked for Richard Solberg and Jason Madden as a farm hand, mechanic and truck driver. He was a member of Nazareth Lutheran Church and enjoyed card playing, camping, fishing and creating many memories with his children and his HO train set.
Rodney is survived by his sister Jolene Johnson of Armstrong; his children Wendell Hansen of Spirit Lake, IA, Melinda Hansen, of Gatesville, TX, Tom (Lisa) Hansen of Armstrong, IA, Stanley (Kimberly) of Dickens, IA, and Maurice (Anne) of Dickens, IA; sister-in-law Arlene Rouse of Spirit Lake, IA; and bother-in-law Don Egeland of Ossian, IA. He was also survived by many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other extended family members and friends.
Preceded in death by his father and mother Harry and Pearl Hansen; his wife Carolyn; two sons Bruce and Marvin Hansen; and two sisters Deloris (Don) Laffey and Dixie (Bob) Laffey.
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