Charles Obert Hanson was born 29 Jan 1927 in Ridgeway, Winona Co., MN to John Dietrich & Oline (Westgard) Babler. Charles and his twin brother Henry Albert Hanson, were adopted in infancy by Obert and Effie (Johnson) Hanson. The twins grew up in Houston, MN and Chuck graduated from Houston High School. The twins joined the Navy when they were 17, but were discharged 6 months later, as both of them were color blind. They were then drafted in the Army shortly thereafter. Charles transferred to the Army-Air Corps (later the US Air Force), while Henry stayed in the Army. They were both MPs serving in Vienna, Austria just at the end of WW II. Henry was wounded in Korea and remained a parapelegic for the rest of his life. He died on 13 Jul 1985 in Long Beach Veterans Hospital, California.
Charles married Donna LaVonne Senff on 24 Jan 1950 in Sandy, Clackamas Co., Oregon. They had daughters, Jodine and Dera. The couple divorced in 1959.
Chuck married Birde Roslyne Stark-Hauser on 15 May 1961 in Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa. They had been married 39 years at the time of their deaths, just one month apart. Chuck died 17 Oct 2000, and Birde died 16 Nov 2000.
Chuck retired from the Air Force in 1971, after serving in England, Germany, Greenland, Japan, and many US bases for 25 1/2 yrs. They spent the rest of their lives in Houston, MN.
Chuck managed the Houston American Legion Club for 15 1/2 years and was in charge of organizing military honors for funerals for many years.
Mr. Hanson was a member of the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, the Masonic Lodge and American Legion, all in Houston.
Services were conducted at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston with Rev. Lane Zaffke officiating, with Military Graveside Rites by the Houston American Legion.
Chuck was survived by his wife, Birde; two sons, Gene (Linda) Stark, Brian (Michelle) Hanson, both of Houston, MN; five daughters: Jodine (Dwight) Emerson of Saugus, CA, Dorothy (Sam) Kuster of Houston, Dera (Paul Landry) Johnson of Rochester, MN, Debra (Mark) Honsey, and Marion (Gary) Skree, both of Rushford, MN; 20 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two brothers: Robert (Beverly) Babler of Winona, MN,and John Babler of Red Wing, MN; and 3 sisters: Ada (Clarence) Wilson of Iowa, Mary Ann (Woody) Wilson of Dresbach, MN, and Anna (Junior) Thompson of Caledonia, MN.
He was preceded in death by an infant dau. Patricia, his birth parents, and his adoptive parents; Siblings: Ralph Babler, Albert Babler, William Babler, Richard Babler, Henry Hanson, Matthew Babler; step-bro, Paul Kragness; step-sisters, Grace Kragness-Babler and Alice Kragness-Welty-Anderson.