William Clark Hanson Obituary (2024)

On April 8, 2024, Bill went to be with the Lord after a battle with butterfly glioblastoma (brain cancer), diagnosed on January 6, 2023. Bill was grateful to remain in his Ellensburg home with his wife, Sally, throughout his illness. He cherished every visit and retained his smile and wonderful sense of humor until the very end. He was born on May 24, 1964, in Ellensburg, Washington. His birth took place at the Ellensburg General Hospital, near the "Castle" on Third Avenue. He was adopted at birth and raised on the family wheat farm on Swauk Prairie by his loving parents, John and Lila Hanson, along with two brothers, Jim and Mike. Bill began kindergarten in Cle Elum, Washington, and later moved to Ellensburg to complete his education, graduating from Ellensburg High School in 1982. He was a passionate basketball and tennis player throughout high school and continued to play basketball in city leagues. Bill enjoyed the camaraderie and those friends remained dear to him. When his boys, Jacob and Josh, were young, he enjoyed coaching some of their team sports. Bill began work at Standard Paint (Premiere Paint) while still in high school. Other than two years at Kelleher Motors, he continued his career there until his diagnosis. Bill loved his work. He enjoyed flooring, cabinetry, countertops, and paint for all types of building projects as well as management. Bill found the love of his life in Sally and they were married in 2002, on Canon Beach in Oregon, with close family and friends in attendance. They enjoyed a honeymoon in Cancun, swam with the dolphins and experienced the pyramids and other wonders. Bill drew the plans for their barn, above barn apartment and present home. He did much of the work with Sally while they developed their farm from bare land. Bill loved the outdoors and all animals; especially horses, dogs and cats. Bill and Sally enjoyed riding horses in the hills of the Teanaway, Chinook Pass, Manastash and on Cannon Beach. His love of the outdoors included fishing and hunting for a deer each fall, along with friends. For years, Bill would get up early, before work, to hike up and hunt for antler sheds. He and Sally also hunted for "sheds" on horseback and have decorated their home with them. He enjoyed fishing at Lake Clark and Seward, Alaska, when he and Sally visited family there. In later years, he had opportunities to fish on Christmas Island, Punta Allen, Mexico and Kodiak, Alaska. He and Sally belonged to the Rigadoon Dance Club all their years together and so enjoyed getting together with friends and people from the community. They loved going to musicals and went to many, over the years. They also enjoyed entertaining and playing pinochle with friends. Bill had a love of working with wood and created a wood shop at their home. In looking forward to partial retirement, he hoped to do more creating in his wood shop, gardening, cooking and helping more people. He loved his garden and made salsa every year from his tomatoes and peppers. He dried apples when David and Diane visited from Alaska in the fall. Bill developed a deep and abiding faith in his Lord and enjoyed attending church. His deepest hope was that others would also know the Lord. Bill was a very kind, hardworking, fun-loving man. He loved serving his community. He was on the Board of CareNet for many years. He was a member of the Noon Rotary Club, where he used his construction skills to help community members with various projects. Bill was preceded in death by his father, John Hanson; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bob and Bernie Barnett; niece Hettie (Cory); great nieces, Addie and Ella and brother-in-law, Allen Barnett. Bill is survived by his wife, Sally; sons, Jacob (Hannah) and Josh; granddaughter Lila; mother, Lila; brothers, Jim (Susan) Hanson and Mike (Karen) Hanson; brother-in-law, David (Diane) Barnett; sister-in-law, Leslie Barnett; nieces, Jodi (Chase), Laurie (Dave), Katie and Kristen; nephew, Ryan (Francesca) and many extended family and friends. We're so grateful for the outpouring of love and support. Memorial contributions may be made to: Gretchen Weller Foundation, P.O. Box 1762, Ellensburg, WA 98926 or CareNet Crisis Pregnancy Center, 111 E. 4th Ave., Ellensburg, WA 98926. A Celebration of Life will be held June 15, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Mercer Creek Church, followed by a reception and lunch. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.brooksidefuneral.com. Brookside Funeral & Crematory is caring for the family, www.brooksidefuneral.com SERVICES Celebration Of Life Saturday, June 15, 2024 11:00 AM Mercer Creek Church 1410 N. Main St. Ellensburg, WA 98926