Lloyd Samson Hanson

Lloyd Samson Hanson, a proud veteran of the Air Force, passed away on Sept. 4, 2022, of natural causes.

Sam was born in 1938 in Havre. He was born premature, weighing only 2 pounds. As there were no incubators in Havre in 1938, Sam began his life in a shoe box and was later moved to a dresser drawer. He showed such strength in surviving, his nurses started calling him Samson, which is where he got his middle name. Shortened to “Sam,” this is how he was known throughout his life.

Sam grew up in San Diego where he married and started a family. Sam was a deputy marshal in San Diego for 14 years, as well as an entrepreneur, owning several businesses, including a hotel and several rental properties. In 1979, Sam and his wife Roberta decided California was no longer a place they wanted to raise their family and moved to Kalispell where they owned and operated Valley Transfer until the early 2000s.

Sam was involved in the Boy Scouts of America for many years — a role that helped him pass on his love of the outdoors to his sons and daughter. He was also a lifetime member of the Elks and an upstanding member of the Kalispell community.

Sam was known for his great sense of humor and his many stories. He was the heart of his family and loved deeply. His friends and family will be sharing his stories for years to come.

Sam is survived by his wife of 55 years, Roberta Hanson, and his daughter Robin Marie Rasmussen, her husband Scott and their son, Sam’s beloved grandson, Chance. He is also survived by his son, Christopher Robert Hanson, daughter-in-law Jami Hanson, his brother, Alfred (Spook) Hanson and his wife Toni, as well as his sister Bonnie Jean Dominguez.

He was preceded in death by his son, Eric Lloyd Hanson, his parents Lloyd and Margaret Hanson, and grandparents Duncan and Emma McLean.

A service honoring the life of Sam will be held Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell.