Henry Hansen Story
I think we did not fully realize what it was we had done at first. We were in a small group of people with nothing in common. It didn't seem likely to me that Hank was going to really pay a full tithing--or at least not for very long. We had plenty of fun social life right here in our neighborhood. The Mormons didn't seem to care and neither did we about being friends. They were mostly professional people and we felt out of place.
About this time it became the West Hills Ward and Bishop Ron Tall came into the Ward and events began to transpire that would truly change our lives forever. We didn't know about the proposed building of a new chapel. I still believe Ron Tall 'prayed' us right into church! He had a plan and was needing craftsmen. At that time our chapels were built with a basic few "professional" builders and a lot of local volunteers. My memory is that there were about 4 or maybe 5 hired skilled workers and the rest were Ward members. Hank was given the plan and asked to submit a bid. As he worked on his bid he described to me the scout room which has a fireplace. I asked him why he didn't volunteer to build the fireplace for free and he said he couldn't do that since it was his livelihood. Well, his bid was the lowest one they got all right but he had underestimated Ron Tall. He not only built the fireplace "for free" but also every other brick in the whole building. And as soon as he would finish up one thing, Ron would add brick somewhere else. The original plan had few brick--they even ended up by building a brick patio across the whole front of the building.
Hank worked one evening a week and Saturdays at first. Then it became holidays and several evenings and some times he would just take his crew over and donate them too. Or he would talk them into giving their days off to the church. He never had large 'crews' at that time there was Gary Nordin and Claud Killian. Gary a rather inactive member and Claud a 'former' member, and also others came and went. This went on for the better part of 3 years. At that time Hank had begun to build his own shop but had to put it on hold. The brick walls on the shop show the color difference that the wait caused. He never complained about that responsibility he had and in fact enjoyed it immensely. Ron Tall worked right along with him and they developed a friendship that lasted over the years. He was our Bishop and later Stake Pres. One day I was trying to address him and said "Doctor-Bishop-President" and he said "Ron." We adored him as did everyone. Later on he developed Alzheimer disease and in his last few years when his mind was so confused, most of his friends kindly kept their distance-more out of helplessness than anything else I think (they couldn't figure out how to help). But Hank could and did. He tried to go regularly and take him out for a drive somewhere, or just to lunch. Anything to give his wife a little space and somehow Ron knew who he was and they could "sometimes" talk about the building of the West Hills Chapel.
It was then Hank's testimony of the Church had been born and grew and he never looked back We didn't get very involved socially until Nolan Brown and his family moved into this area. Nolan was a Postal inspector but it no longer mattered who did what. Professional or not, Hank's good friends came from all walks of life and continued so throughout all of his life. But the 'fellowshipping' came first from the Browns.
I skipped right over 1957 and an event that meant more to both of us than the Church or the Chapel-the birth of our second son on December 18, 1957-Dean Neil. We had found that getting babies wasn't so easy after all. I had 2 miscarriages and was growing fearful of ever getting another child--still wanted one desperately--more than ever really. We had discovered how much we loved our family and wanted more. Christmas time is the very most special time to have a new baby an ours was due Christmas day. He came a week early and that was even better because we would all be home together and David and Barbara were as thrilled as we were. I remember clearly that Hank's first words upon seeing him were "there is my partner." And that proved to be the case. David couldn't decide whether to be a "bricklayer or a scientist"--and we thought he would probably do something with math since he was so good at it. Hank often said that he was going to teach his sons his 'trade." They didn't have to use it but they would have it to fall back on if they ever needed it.
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He began taking the boys on the job when they were pretty young. If they could climb the ladders and stock the attic with bricks that was helpful and that is where they started. I don't remember how old David was, but I do know sometimes they found him asleep in the attic. Not every job was right for them and of course they could only work when there was no school but he did teach them, not only to lay brick (and hod-carry) but most important, how to work! We were often told by others that our sons really knew how to work--I believe our daughters learned that same lesson.
By 1959 we were ready for our Temple endowments. Hank was happily attending Priesthood meetings and enthused about every aspect of this church he had joined. We went to Idaho Falls to be with our Missionaries, the Lukes, and on June 1, 1959 we were sealed together as a family and received our full Temple endowment. We had a stronger desire than ever to have another child. Our family didn't feel complete. Even Dean seemed to know that there was another baby to come. His baby talk was primarily about 'babies.' We checked out all the babies in every book we looked at and talked about little else. Dean was a good baby himself--seemed as excited to be here as we were to have him. I let Barbara, who was 5 years old at his birth, play with him like a doll. She loved him and was careful and never dropped him, as I did once, but used to worry visitors who came in and found her playing house with a real live baby.
Hank was still working on the building of the Chapel when I found out that indeed we would be having another baby. I remember asking Pres. Tall "if my baby comes on Saturday can Hank have the day off?" And his answer "No, daddies aren't necessary, Doctors can take care of everything!" and the fun we had over that. Well busy or not, he was there on June 2, 1960 at Wilcox Memorial, the same hospital he was born in, for the birth of Susan, our second little girl (both girls were approximately 6½ lbs, both boys 8½ lbs). Hank was as proud and happy as any father ever could be. It was then I received what was probably the first roses, or any fresh flower, from him. I awoke after her birth to a beautiful large arrangement of red roses! It was a happy day--I had always felt that two boys and two girls constituted a perfect family--and didn't really expect to achieve that. Susan was little and cute and good and we all enjoyed her, Dean most of all. He was 2½ at the time of her birth and was a real threat to her. I had to watch him (or her) carefully--couldn't keep his hands off "his" baby. Every one of us claimed her for 'our' baby and she was OK with that for a few months, then she decided she wanted her Mother and especially when unhappy. She didn't like all the help I got. I would sometimes have to forbid Dean to touch her--like when she was asleep--but I used to find 'cow-licks' on her head where he had caressed her with his tongue. He also dropped her one day, got her out of her crib and then couldn't manage both her and the door. I really had to watch out for her. Hank had been a 'hands-on' father, there to help out a great deal with the first two. But by now his work load and his Church responsibilities began to dominate his life.
We saw less and less of him and when he was home he was on the phone or in his office figuring yet more work. His work was expanding and he hired a second crew--bought a fork lift which was a major decision--but oh he did use and enjoy it. He worked harder and began to play with the same enthusiasm. He was never tired or discouraged. We also grew out of the eating area of our kitchen and bedrooms and living room. It was then that we did the first make over on our home--added the large living room and deepened the dining area. Changed the kitchen completely and added the dishwasher. All of this was accomplished on Saturdays and evenings and with lots of help from family and friends. He also dug a second well with David's help. I remember when they wired it for the pump. It was (is) at the bottom of the hill, so required some engineering and also the barn was wired for electricity too. David had a different plan than Hank's was and they had a good long argument (which Hank loved to do) and finally he said "well we will ask Bob Gillmor," who is an electrical engineer, and Bob said that David was right! That was a hard thing for Hank to swallow--but at the same time he was proud of his son. He took his boys with him to work, play, hunt, fish, church, whatever he was doing. They neither one lasted very long as hunters, nor as salmon fishermen, which was the only kind Hank would do. I used to ask him later on if he would take me fishing in a boat on a pretty lake in nice weather and he always promised but never did.
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