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Ronald Lee Hanson

July 31, 1934 – May 1, 2018

Ronald L. Hanson, of Post Falls, Idaho, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2018, at his home, surrounded by his loving wife, Ellie Hanson, and three children. Ron was 83.

Born on July 31, 1934, in Spokane, Wash., to Freda Young and Ole Hanson, Ron was the oldest of three. He grew up exploring the woods around Spokane, where he cultivated a lifelong love of the outdoors.

He graduated from Central Valley High School in 1952 and earned a BA degree in civil engineering at Washington State University in 1957. During college, Ron earned extra money playing clarinet and saxophone in dance bands. In his senior year, Ron began his 37-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey as a hydrologist, measuring streams and rivers in the Pacific Northwest. On one harrowing field trip, Ron survived a helicopter crash high in the Cascades, snowshoeing through deep snow to safety.

Work with the USGS took Ron to Tacoma, Wash., and then Carson City, Nev., While skiing at Heavenly Valley, Ron met his soon-to-be wife, Eleanor Schmid, in the lift line. A match made in Heaven, they were married in Carson City on Dec. 27, 1962.

Soon after, Ron attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., earning an MS degree in civil engineering in 1965. His career with the USGS continued, with time in Washington, D.C., Tucson, Ariz., and Oklahoma City, Okla., where he retired in 1994 as assistant district chief.

In retirement, Ron and Ellie split time between Post Falls, Idaho, and Tucson. A lifelong musician, Ron played clarinet in the North Idaho College Wind Symphony and the Desert Winds Orchestra in Tucson. Active as ever, Ron pursued his lifelong passions for hunting, fishing, hiking, tennis and other outdoor activities. A born engineer, Ron was a constant tinkerer, a problem solver and an inventor of ingenious contraptions that made the simple objects of daily living work better. If it was broken, Ron could fix it.

Ron is survived by his wife of 55 years, Ellie; his three children, Christi (Dave), Carl (Sarah) and Steve (Alesha); his four wonderful grandchildren, Fiona, Ciara, Dascher, and Racel; his sister, Pam (Gene) and brother, Vernon. The family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to Dr. Danko at Cancer Care Northwest, the nursing staff of Sacred Heart Hospital, and the staff of Kindred Hospice for their care and compassion. Please join the family in a celebration of Ron’s life at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Kiwanis Park along the Spokane River.

To make charitable donations in memory of Ron, he requested contributions to the Union of Concerned Scientists — www.ucsusa.org/memorial. Bell Tower Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.