LYLE F HANSEN

Name: LYLE F HANSEN

Entry Date: 2/28/1962

Exit Date: 65

Rating:

Status: D: 08/02/2002

1980

1963: Lt, Lyle F. Hansen, PPC - Front row-left

June, 2001

“Lyle F. Hansen
1936 -2002Lyle was born 15 November, 1936 to Leo F. and Martha (Erdmann) Hansen in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He Married Nancy Fowler in Geinig, Nebraska in 1959. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1959 and received his MBA from the University of Southern California in 1980. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the Unted States Navy in 1959 and served proudly as a Naval Aviator until his retirement in 1980. Lyle served with VP-21 from 1962 to 1965. Lyle’s career Navy assignments were:

June 1958-April 1960–USS Kearsarge
April 1960-February 1962- Flight Training
February 1962-July 1965 –VP-21
August 1965-July 1968–VT-31
September 1968-February 1970-USS Kearsarge
March 1970-April 1973-VP-48
May 1973-November 1973-Armed Forces Staff College
November 1973 September 1976 Navy Recruiting Command
September 1976-June 1979 -TACRON One

After Lyle’s retirement from the Navy he was employed by Computer Sciences Corporation and worked for them in many management positions. At the time of his retirement from CSC, he was the Configuration Management Director of the F-22 project at Edwards Air Force Base.

After retiring from in 2001 CSC, Lyle and wife Nancy moved to Alpine, Wyoming. He was very active in the Alpine American Legion Post 46 where he served on the Honor Guard and as the Service Officer.

Lyle is survived by his wife, Nancy Fowler Hansen of Alpine; daughter Laura Heume of Maplewood, New Jersey; son Jeffrey Hansen of Yuma, Arizona; brother Robert Hansen of Washington, DC; sister Patricia Bryant of Austin, Texas; and four grandchildren.

Lyle Frank Hansen died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Alpine, Wyoming, on 2 August, 2002.

Services were held on 7 August, 2002 at the United Methodist Church in Gering, Nebraska. A memorial was held in Alpine during the Autumn of 2002.

2003 Holiday Newsletter from Nancy Hansen

August 2, 2002, changed life forever, as Lyle was gently taken away from us. He suffered a massive heart attack, with no warning, in his sleep. Every day since that has confirmed what Lyle and I have always known. We have the very best family and friends imaginable. I could not let a new year begin without expressing my gratitude for the magnificent and overwhelming support our family and I have been given.

On August 2 all of the flags in our Alpine neighborhood were lowered to half staff, our favorite cafe was closed and a special tree was placed outside the window where we always sat. Neighbors descended with casseroles and hugs. Mom and my brother, Larry, arrived within a few hours from Nebraska and Lyle was taken back to Nebraska where he had requested that he be put to his final rest. A legion of family and friends arrived in Gering and the phone calls, cards, letters, flowers-all in red, white and blue-and generous contributions to Lyle’s memorial came in great abundance. The Gering American Legion made the unusual gesture of honoring Lyle with a wonderful avenue of American flags placed along the road to the memorial park. Bob Gale and Lyle’s brother, Bob, spoke eloquently at the service and, thanks to sister-in-law Nancy’s connection with the White House, President Bush sent a personal letter. So many friends and relatives were there to support our family.

As you have spoken and written of Lyle, it is clear that you will remember him as a gentle and kind man with a great sense of humor and a tremendous dedication to his family, friends and country that made him special to all of us.
Our Cornhusker friends on both coasts had special toasts to Lyle at half-time of the Nebraska football game as they gathered to watch the game and a great picture of Lyle and me was put up on the San Diego Cornhusker web site with a memorial notice. When I returned to our home in Alpine, the American Legion held a wonderful memorial service, and you would have thought by the sentiments expressed that we had lived here all of our lives. Lyle will be honored again this summer when an American flag is placed at the Civic Center to honor veterans. Comforting cards, letters, emails, phone calls and visits continue to be part of every day as I hear from everyone from grade school friends to long-lost friends and relatives. I am looking forward to a West Coast road trip in March, a cruise to England with Mom on the QE2 in May and a major family reunion in Alpine in June.

Some people have expressed how sad they are that Lyle hadn’t had time to enjoy his retirement. As wonderful as retired life was, Lyle and I never felt that we enjoyed it any more than we enjoyed life before retirement, because we both relished every day, and that is the finest memory of all. In June one of the wonderful new friends in my Alpine family took us to a meadow in the forest behind our home and I took this picture of Lyle as he strolled away down the road. He was going away, as he did for a final time in August, towards a beautiful and peaceful place. When you remember him, remember the good times. You know he’d like that. nhansen@silverstar.com”