Harvey E. Hanson 1941 - 2022
HANSON, RIDDLE, HOAR, ANDERSON
Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/10/2022 at 14:14:39
Harvey E. Hanson was born May 22, 1941, to Elvin and Hazel (Riddle) Hanson. He went to be with his Lord on January 28, 2022, at the age of 80 years.
A funeral service will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at the Castana Community Church, Castana, Iowa with Pastor Linda Boggs, officiating. A live stream of the service will be posted on the Goslar Funeral Home website with Harvey’s obituary. Burial will follow at Center Cemetery, Castana, Iowa. A visitation will be 5:00 – 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 1, 2022, with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at the church. Please bring and wear masks to the visitation and service. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.
Harvey graduated from Castana High School and attended a year at Iowa State University. He began his career working for Frito Lay, and at times drove for Davis trucking. He spent the majority of his career as a salesman for Palmer’s Candy Co., where he was known as the “Candy Man.” In his later career, he worked for MBC Foods. He was known as a weekend-farmer because that was when he could get farming done.
In 1954, Harvey became a member of the Castana United Church of Christ, where he was a Sunday School teacher and Board member for many years. He joined Gideon’s International January 31, 1980, where he served in many roles. Gideon’s International began in 1908 as an association of Christian businessmen placing Bibles in hotel rooms. It has evolved into an expanding mission providing two billion Scriptures in more than 95 languages to 200 countries, territories, and possessions across the globe.
In 1997, Harvey was in a vehicle accident where he would have lost his life, had it not been for a snowplow driver, EMTs that braved the blizzard conditions, and an excellent surgeon, who also braved the weather to perform surgery and ultimately saved his life.
After this incident, Harvey decided he wanted to become a pastor, so he took LEARN program classes through the United Church of Christ and became a minister. He gave hundreds of sermons, conducted a large number of funeral services, and even a few wedding ceremonies.
In June 2012, Harvey saw a need in the area for the food-insecure and founded the Open Cupboard. Every week he drove to Denison to collect overstock food from Walmart, then brought it back to Mapleton where it was unloaded by volunteers. Once a month, anyone needing food assistance is welcome to receive food items to supplement their cupboards. Later, he was instrumental in starting a backpack program, where school personnel equipped kids with meals for the weekend. This food allowed sustainability for a large number of families and children. In September 2021, Harvey stepped down from this position, but the program continues under new leadership.
He leaves behind Nancy, his wife of 59 years; sons, Chris (Patty) Hanson, Steve (Kim) Hanson, Ken (Wade Petersen) Hanson, and daughter, Julie (Steve) Whitney; grandchildren, Justin (Tanya), Travis (Paola), Ben (Cassandra), Heidi (Tyler), Emily (Chris), Isaac (Sarah), Carina (Ben), Bethany (Khord), Ryan, Erin (Alex), Luke (Maddee), Rebecca, and Cameron; great-grandchildren, Austin, Jayda, Baylee, Mwajelou, Malakhi, Audrey, Owen, Alaina, and Cooper; sister, Lois Jensen; sister-in-law, Cathy Hanson; a number of nieces, nephews, and countless friends.
He was predeceased by his parents, Elvin and Hazel (Riddle) Hanson; parents-in-law, Fred and Eva (Hoar) Anderson; infant brother, Harold Hanson; brother, Brady Hanson; daughter, Ann Cox; sister- and brother-in-law, Patsy and Paul Peterson; nephew, Roger Peterson; and brother-in-law, Heral Jensen.
As his most favored charities, memorials can be made to the Castana UCC, Gideon’s International or the Open Cupboard.
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