John Preston Hansen (Pres) age 88, died of a defective heart valve August 7, 2008.
He was born in San Francisco, California and moved to Portland, Oregon where he attended Grant High School. Pres went to Oregon State University, majored in food technology and graduated in 1942.
He was in ROTC and went on active duty with the US Army as a 2nd lieutenant. Pres was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma as an instructor of fire arms in the US Field Artillery Division.
He married Shirley, an OSU graduate, in June of 1943.
In 1944 during World War II, Pres was sent to Europe and was in charge of a Displaced Persons Camp.
In February of 1945 he was sent west to prepare for duty in the Pacific. As a captain in 1946 he left the US Army, maintaining his active reserve status.
Pres worked at several private canneries before returning to the US Department of Agriculture in San Francisco. He eventually became in charge of Northern California Processed Foods Division and lived mainly in Modesto and San Jose.
Upon retiring in 1981, Pres and Shirley moved to Mount Shasta.
Pres has been active as a member of the Mt. Shasta Fire Board and Redding’s Chapter of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He was a member of SIR, the local experimental aircraft club, and the US Army Retired Officers Association.
Pres and Shirley worked as part-time docents at the Mount Shasta Sisson Museum.
Pres leaves his wife of 65 years, Shirley; and five children. Two sons were teachers at Mount Shasta High School and a daughter and two sons are teachers in the Chico area. Pres also leaves nine granddaughters.
A private memorial service will be held to honor Pres.
If you would like to make a contribution, please make a donation to Sisson Museum, No. 1, Old Stage Road, Mount Shasta, CA 96067.