Mark Hansen 1955-1967

HANSEN, THOMA, LAGE

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/10/2021 at 06:47:23

23 February 1967 - The Tipton Conservative

Mark Alan Hansen, 11, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Hansen, Durant, was found dead in a field a quarter of a mile from his home, Feb. 19, the victim of a hunting accident.

The boy left home about 11 a.m. to hunt rabbits on the final day of the season. He was to be called to dinner by a large school bell that is rung by the Hansens to summon their children. At 11:30 a.m. the bell was rung, but he did not return.

His father went to look for his son. About 12:05 p.m. he found the boy's body. A 22 short rifle bullet had entered the right side of the Hansen boy's chest. It did not emerge. The rifle was found with the butt stuck in the snow.

Sheriff Richard Barden and Dr. Walter Kopsa, county medical examiner, were called. Barden found that the sear of the 1902 Winchester single shot rifle was defective. It is believed that the rifle discharged as the boy poked the butt of the rifle into a brush pile. Death was ruled as accidental by Dr. Kopsa.

Oliver Hansen is executive vice-president of the Liberty Trust and Savings bank at Durant and New Liberty. The Hansen home is at the southwest corner of Durant.

Mark was born in Davenport May 5, 1955 and was a sixth grade student in the Durant school.

Services were held at St. Paul's Episcopal church in Durant at 2 p.m. Feb. 21 with burial in the Durant cemetery.

He is survived by his father and stepmother, 2 brothers, Thomas and Roland, at home; 3 step-brothers, Michael Thoma, serving in the air force at Corvalis, Ore. and Jeffrey and Christie Thoma, at home; his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Alice Hansen, Durant and his maternal grandfather, Harry Lage, Davenport.