Lavern Hanson

LaVern Hanson, 84, passed away January 24, 2010 at North Point Skilled Nursing Center. Vern was born June 13, 1925 in Marysville, Missouri to Clifford and Eliza Masner Hanson. He graduated from Leonardville High School after service 2 years in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII. After high school, he attended the Kansas City School of Mortuary Sciences. He worked for D.W. Newcomers Funeral Home in Kansas City and was a pharmaceutical salesman for Pitman-Morris until moving to Paola in 1963 to operate Runyan Funeral Home. In 1969 he started the Miami County Ambulance Service which he owned and operated until he retired in 1980. He was a Miami County Commissioner from 1980-1984. He was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 3712, American Legion Post 156 and member of the Kansas Mortuary Arts. He was also a member of the First Lutheran Church and the Osawatomie Elks. Vern was a dedicated businessman and enjoyed serving the public. Vern is preceded in death by his wife, Betty; brothers; Bill Hanson, Oran Hanson, Lamar Hanson, Leon Hanson; and a sister, Dixie Anderson. Survivors are daughters Linda Walters and Robin Hanson of Paola; sister, Joan Doherty of Blue Ridge, GA; brothers, Kenneth Hanson of Lee"s Summit, MO, and Robert Hanson of Belton, MO; two granddaughters, Kendra Zimmerman of Broken Arrow, OK, and Casey Walters of Paola, KS. Cremation is planned with a private burial in the Leavenworth National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Association.