Lagrande S Hansen Obituary (1925

In Memory Of LaGrande Hansen Memorial Service, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 15, 2012, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cordova, with Rev. Karen Tjarks officiating. Inurnment will be in Zastrow Cemetery, Cordova with military services conducted by Cordova American Legion. Memorials are directed in care of the family. Organist, Wilma Gard, will accompany the congregation as they sing "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". LaGrande Stinton Hansen was born May 15, 1925 in Geneva, Nebraska, the only child born to Lloyd and Ella (Jensen) Hansen and passed away Friday, November 30, 2012 at his daughter's home in Houston, TX at the age of 87 years 6 months and 15 days. As a young boy he attended Cordova Public School, graduating in 1943. He joined the US Navy during WWII and served in the Pacific Theatre. Upon his discharge he returned to Nebraska where he furthered his education by receiving his mathematics degree at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He taught high school in Cozad and Lincoln, NE, and then moved to Santa Monica, California in the 1950's where he was employed at the Pacific Missile Range at Point Mugu, CA as a computer programmer. He returned to Nebraska and married Virginia (Thomas) Hansen, moving again to California in 1966. In 1976, he moved back to Cordova, Nebraska where he farmed, and later to Friend, where he was employed with the Friend CO-OP until his retirement in 1987. He moved to Lincoln to care for his mother Ella until her death in 2005, and in July of 2011 he moved to Houston to be near his daughter Amy. LaGrande enjoyed fishing and was an avid reader, amateur writer, scholar and philosopher. He was passionate about music, sang and played the guitar with many "Sunday" bands over the years. In his younger years in California, he enjoyed sports and won many local tennis tournaments. One of life's great pleasures for LaGrande was visiting with family and friends, so his recent trip to Cordova's 125 year town celebration this summer was very special to him. He is survived by his daughters, Amy Hansen and fiance Jeff Thomsen, Houston, TX, Laura and husband Dennis Pfeifer, Spokane, WA, step-daughter, Beth Blatchford and husband Dr. Van Warren, Roswell, NM, and grandchildren, Jessica Davis, Dayne Andersen, Ariel Staggs, Logan Staggs, Sara Luevano, and Erin Mundy, seven great grand children, cousins, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.