Terry Ray Hansen, 68
Terry Ray Hansen died of injuries suffered in a plane crash on Nov. 29, 2013, near St. Mary's, Alaska.
He was born in Mason City, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 1945, to Ray and Irene (Olsen) Hansen of Clear Lake, Iowa. Terry grew up in Clear Lake and attended school there through high school. During his senior year he enlisted in the U.S. Navy with the understanding that he would not be called up until after graduation. He served four tours of duty in Vietnam. His destroyer was bumped once by a Russian vessel which stirred up an exciting incident with planes from both sides circling overhead, but ended peaceably.
After his discharge, he returned to Clear Lake and attended Northern Iowa Community College in Mason City and then went on to the University of Northern Iowa for accounting. He later worked for Erv Senesky, CPA, in Mason City.
In 1977 he moved to Montana. He and Joe Basirico co-owned a whitewater rafting company at West Glacier. He also joined the maintenance staff at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish and worked there for several years until he completed flying lessons In Kalispell.
After that he was off and flying, doing what he really enjoyed. He took parachutists up at Lost Prairie, rafters into Schaffer Meadows and led retardant bombers into wildfires. In 1995, he took a job with Hageland Aviation of ERA Alaska as a bush pilot out of St. Mary's. He also flew out of Bethel, Alaska for a few years but transferred back to St. Mary's so he could be home nights.
Terry was a quiet man with the unique ability of being able to retain information for years at a time. He was blessed with a photographic memory. Because of that, he seldom had to do homework as a youngster. He loved to tease and was generous to his family and friends. He loved and was loved.
He was preceded in death by both sets of grandparents; his father, Ray Hansen; uncle, Biff (Clifford) and aunt, Lindy (Lois) Hansen; and cousins, Kathy Marnet Hansen and Kevin Hansen.
His father Ray and Uncle Biff were brothers and his mother Irene and Aunt Lindy were sisters, so all the children of both families were "double cousins."
Survivors include his longtime partner, Joanne Long, of St. Mary's; his mother, Irene Hansen, of Whitefish; brother, Tom Hansen, and Carol, of Kalispell; sister, Christie, and Mark Grattidge, of Clear Lake; aunt, Janice, and Keith Bowman, of Des Moines, Iowa; cousins, Vance and David Hansen of Clear Lake, Susan DeVary of Des Moines, and Scott Bowman and Tracy of Johnston, Iowa; and numerous second cousins.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Whitefish VFW.