Arnold Hanson

Arnold Hanson, 86, died peacefully on March 28, 2024 at his home in Adrian, ND.

Arnold was born at home July 31, 1937 to Charles and Inez (Kleinheksel) Hanson. He was number 4 in the line of the 14 Hanson children. At the age of 2 the Hanson’s moved to the present farm in Oct. 1939 the farm his father worked as a young man and vowed he would someday own.

Arnold lived on the family farm and farmed alongside his father for many years. In 1958 Arnold married Jean Ranallo from Jamestown and continued to live on the family farm till they bought a farm in Kennison Township in Nortonville, ND. The farm came with a small 2-bedroom house which they immediately made an addition to hold the family of 6. With hard work the farm grew to include shops and barns and other outbuildings.

Here is where they would raise their 4 children, Jeff, Jenifer, Leah, Lisa.

Arnold started to raise Polled Hereford’s with 4 cows on shares with his close friend Emory Matz. The herd grew to 150 pure bred cows and one of the best herds in Lamoure County. 

Arnold also served on the Kennison township board for several years. In 1980 Arnold retired from farming, divorced and moved to Cody Wy. Where he was hired as a ranch manager for Glenn Nielson Ranches.

 In 1983-84 Arnold took leave from the ranches to travel to Uganda Africa as a farming instructor for the refugees there. 

Arnold was instrumental in planting 3 banana groves which were named after him. It was a once in a lifetime experience for him. He returned to Cody, Wy and back to the Nielson Ranches where he was a caretaker and in charge of improving the pastures for the ranch. Mr. Nielson always said Arnold could grow grass on a fence post. 

Later in the 80’s Arnold moved on to Red Lodge, MT to start a new business Crystal Springs Ice and Water with the added attraction of trout ponds where he sold fish by the inch. It was there he married and would spend many years till he sold the business and retired due to health reasons in the year 2000. It was shortly after that he knew his roots were calling him home to the Hanson family farm which he purchased and began to rebuild and restore the farm. He took pride in the fact the farm was once again back in the Hanson family for many years to come and took pride in restoring the place he called home.

He would say “I’ve come full circle in my life and boy what a trip it was.”

Arnold was a hard worker with the greatest work ethic something he demonstrated to his children and succeeded in teaching them.  Arnold was a great story teller and brought so much laughter to those around him. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

Arnold is survived by his 4 children Jeff (Monica) Shepherd, MT, Jenifer (Tim Hilliard) Shivers, Wasilla, AK, Leah (Keith Taxis) Dallmann, Edgeley, ND, Lisa Lee Glendale AZ; 7- Grandchildren Gracie, Sophie, Mya, Elena, Paige, Garrett, Mariah; 2- Great Grandchildren Olivia and Aubreanna; 5 -Brothers; Donald (Maryette) Adrian ND, Gene, Edgeley, ND, Kenneth, Aurora, CO, Randy, Watford City, ND and Brian, Ypsilanti; 4 sisters, Mavis Smith, Adrian ND, Karen (Leon) Lagodinski, Edgeley ND, Debra Kitchel, Nyrobi Kenya Africa, and Tracy Dale, Jamestown, ND. and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Inez Hanson, 4- brothers Lyle, Gary, Alvin, Dale and 2-Grandsons Cole (14) Shivers and Lane (31) Shivers.