Bob Hansen
Longtime banker and philanthropist Robert Uhl Hansen was born Nov. 18, 1927, in Brush and died at age 92 on March 26, 2020, in Greeley.
Robert, or Rob as he was known by his sisters, was the youngest boy of six children born to Floyd A. and Irma L. (Feddersen) Hansen. In 1933, the Hansen family relocated to Hastings, Nebraska.
Growing up in a prominent family in the Hastings area, Rob learned early in life the value of family, business and philanthropy. His parents were both heavily involved in the community through organizations like the Masonic Temple and the YWCA.
Because of his family’s role in the community, while Rob was in high school, he got involved with DeMolay International, a young men’s division of the Masonic Temple. It was during one of their annual dances that he was set up on a blind date with a young lady by the name of Lona Mary Williams.
He graduated from Hastings High School in 1945 and then enlisted in the United States Navy. He was a carpenter’s mate, 3rd Class V-6, and a member of the Navy Seabees, where he served on the island of Guam for 10 months. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 19, 1946, which is when he returned to Hastings to attend Hastings College. Also following his return to Nebraska, he proposed to the love of his life, Lona Mary.
While at Hastings College, Rob was a member of the Tri-Gamma fraternity where he served as “head man” and was also a member of the tennis team. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in business administration and economic theory in January of 1949.
In August 1949 Robert and Lona were married at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, and in February 1950 they relocated to Brush, where Robert went to work for Farmers State Bank, working with his uncle, Alonzo Petteys, and cousin, W. M. “Doc” Watrous. On Independence Day in 1951, Robert and Lona welcomed their first child, David Robert.
While working for Farmers State Bank, Robert, by now more commonly known as Bob, attended banking school at the University of Wisconsin. Also while working for Farmers State Bank, Bob’s uncle Alonzo formed the charter for Equitable Savings & Loan Association, where Bob and his cousin Doc helped build the association into the organization that is still going strong today, almost 66 years later.
In April 1953, they welcomed their second child, Kristin, and then in September 1955, they celebrated the arrival of their youngest child, Michael Rodney. While living in Brush, Bob was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Brush Community Hospital Association and the Brush Chamber of Commerce.
He also held many roles at Farmers State Bank as a bookkeeper, auditor, vice president, trust officer and director. He also served as a director of First National Bank of Sterling, Citizens National Bank of Akron and First National Bank of Wray. In 1962, he joined the Colorado School of Banking as an instructor in bank operations. He later went on to serve for many years on the board of directors of the school.
In March of 1965, Bob was named president and chief executive officer of First National Bank of Wray. He started the position immediately, and Lona and the children joined Bob in Wray at the end of the school year. In 1968, after the death of his uncle, Mr. Petteys, a reorganization of the Farmers Realty Company resulted in Bob being elected chairman of the board of which Equitable Savings & Loan Association was an affiliate. In 1975 he became a teacher at the Colorado Agricultural Leaders Forum, where he taught for nearly 15 years. Then in January of 1978, Bob was appointed chairman of the board of directors of First National Bank of Wray.
While living in Wray, Bob was a 50-year member of the First Presbyterian Church and of the Wray Masonic Lodge. He was also a devoted member of Rotary International, having served as president a few times and also being very active with the Rotary Youth Exchange program. He was a member, as well, of the Wray Elks Club and the Wray chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, serving as a past worthy patron.
He was a member, and past president, of the board of the Wray Chamber of Commerce and was a charter member of the Yuma County Economic Development Corporation. Bob was honored in 1991 by the Colorado Bankers Association with the Del and Doris Scott Memorial Award, which is awarded to a Colorado banker who “best exhibits the community banking spirit through involvement in, dedication to and support of activities vital to the health of local institutions and people.”
Bob was also instrumental in the formation of the First Pioneer National Bank Corporation, which renamed First National to First Pioneer National Bank, as well as the purchase of Security National Bank of Holyoke.
After moving to Wray, Bob became a trusted friend to longtime Wray educator Edna (Bales) Kitzmiller. Because of his financial prowess, Edna trusted Bob to serve as the executor of her estate. When she passed away in 1982, Bob, along with Dean Henry, fulfilled her wishes to form the Kitzmiller-Bales Trust to utilize her estate in helping organizations thrive in the eastern Yuma County region.
After Dean’s death, Bob brought on longtime friend Duard Fix to serve as a trustee. The trust was started in 1984, and in its 36 years of existence the trust has granted approximately $14 million to businesses and organizations in the east Yuma County region.
One of Bob and Duard’s greatest joys from their work was that they were able to help the community in a large way, and despite many downturns in the economy, they never had to touch the principal of the trust. This way the trust could be sustained for decades to come. The Kitzmiller-Bales Trust was one of Bob’s greatest joys, as was his work with the Kenneth and Ethel Powell Trust and the community of Wray.
Besides his work, his greatest love and greatest accomplishment in life was his wife and family. Bob, with Lona always by his side, traveled extensively across the United States and to many countries. He took great pride and joy in spending time with his kids and grandkids, watching their many activities and accomplishments. From football and baseball games to dance recitals and plays to choir performances, band concerts and graduations, Bob reveled in being there for his family.
An avid golfer, Bob likely played thousands of rounds of golf with his family, colleagues and friends at numerous courses across the nation. He also enjoyed reading and listening to music, especially to any music that Lona would play or sing to, as well as entertaining with many dear friends. He loved jokes, though he wholeheartedly admitted he was terrible at remembering them. He was also a lifelong Nebraska Cornhuskers fan and devoted alumni of Hastings College, where he was so extremely proud to have many of his family members attend and graduate.
In 2009, his wife and companion of 59 years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. But despite that diagnosis, he was steadfast in his commitment to being her best friend and caretaker to the very end. He kept her at home until she could no longer be there. But even then, he went to visit her at Hillcrest Care Center every day. He would sit with her, talk to her, feed her and give the endless love to her that he promised to her on their wedding day. He did this until her death in February 2016.
After an illustrious and truly amazing career, Bob retired from banking on Feb. 1, 2019, after 69 years of service to the banking industry, the state of Colorado, the northeast Colorado region, Yuma County and the community of Wray.
Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 66 years, Lona Mary (Williams) Hansen; parents, Floyd and Irma Hansen; in-laws, Glenn and Hazel Williams; brother, Don and Evie Hansen; sisters, Alice and Jack Marvel and Betty and Pete Moroney; and brothers-in-law, Jack Scanlan and Dr. Rodney Williams.
He leaves behind to celebrate his life and celebrate his memory his sisters, Margaret Ann Scanlan of Denver and Elsie and John Cookson of Denison, Iowa; brother-in-law, James Brownell of Manhattan, New York; children, David and Nancy Hansen of Greeley, Kristin and Benny Leighton of Berthoud and Michael and Karen Hansen of Colville, Washington; grandchildren, Hope Brown and Darin of Ankeny, Iowa, Anne Spengler and Paul of Aurora, Diana Wood and Steven of Greeley, Heidi Allen and David of Loveland, Jon Hansen and Tiffany of Thornton, Kyle Hansen and Tom of El Paso, Texas, Tyler Hansen and Callen of Missoula, Montana, and Nick Hansen of Phoenix, Arizona; and great-grandchildren, Haley Frese and Colin and Ella, Paige and Claire Brown, Benjamin and Brooklyn Spengler, McCall and McKinzlie Wood, Jordan and Cole Allen, Jayden, Brenden and Chayce Hansen, and Killian Hansen. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and cousins and countless friends and colleagues whom he loved with all his heart.
Because of the current situation in our world right now, the family has requested to hold a memorial service at a later date to give everyone who knew him and loved him a chance to celebrate the life of their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, neighbor and friend.
Because of Bob’s enduring legacy of philanthropy and charity, for memorial contributions the family requests that donations be made to a charity that is near and dear to your heart in honor and memory of Robert U. Hansen. The family would also ask that you request that the charity send a notification of donation to David and Nancy Hansen at 4250 W. 16th St. #22, Greeley, CO 80634.
Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home of Wray is in charge of arrangements.