John Clark Hanson, son of Dennis Clark and Rebecca (Pickard) Hanson was born March 22, 1966, at Fargo, North Dakota and died November 6, 2007, at Morrison, Jefferson County, Colorado.

He grew to manhood in several locations including: North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, South Carolina, and Nebraska. John entered Elgin High School, Elgin, Nebraska, as a sophomore, and graduated with the class of 1984. He then moved to Lincoln, NE where he attended Nebraska Wesleyan University for a year before transferring to the University of Nebraska. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish and Economics from the University of Nebraska in 1996. While attaining his degree, John lived abroad during 1994 to study the Spanish language and culture. He completed an International Study Program while attending the University of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. He also spent a summer studying Spanish in Mexico.

After his graduation from the university he worked several years in Wisconsin and Illinois in the retail food industry and then as a property manager. He moved to Colorado in 1999 where he continued to work as a property manager in Englewood, CO. From 2002 – 2006, John owned and operated Home Free Mortgage Corporation in Conifer, CO. He continued to work in the mortgage industry until the time of his death.

On June 16, 2001, at the United Methodist Church in Elgin, he was united in marriage with Betty June (Huffman) Agens of Bailey, Colorado. The couple made their home at Bailey for a time before moving to their present residence in Pine, Colorado. Betty is a Special Education teacher at Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado.

Survivors include his wife Betty and step children: Trey and Alta Agens; his mother Rebecca and her husband Jim Hunt of Cushing, Wisconsin; 1 sister: Tina Hanson; 2 brothers: Travis and Andrew Merchant, 1 step-sister: Marti Walsh; 1 step-brother: Brian Merchant; 2 grandmothers: Joyce Hanson and Violet Reed, 2 sisters-in-law: Anna Dunbar and Sarah Hutchinson; 2 brothers-in-law: Rollie and Charles Huffman; In-laws: Rick and Lorraine Huffman, other relatives and many friends.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, November 10th at Willow Ridge Manor in Morrison, CO. Funeral Services will be at 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, November 13, at the United Methodist Church in Elgin, NE with Reverends Michael Davis and Ray Avidano officiating. Pam Becklun will be the organist. Interment will be in the West Cedar Valley Cemetery at Elgin with Rohn Wagner, Brian Hoefer, Charles Huffman, Brian, Andy, and Travis Merchant serving as casket bearers.