Leland Hanson's Obituary
Dear Dad,
We miss you tremendously, but as a family we rejoice that on May 13th you walked into the arms of your Savior to receive the rewards of a race well run. As we sit together and reminisce about your life and legacy, we remember so many wonderful things about you.
On February 16, 1945, your life began in New Orleans, Louisiana. With your parents, Elmer and Merol Lee, and your sister Pam, you moved to Longview, and in high school, you met the love of your life, Toni, and spent 58 wonderful years together, laying the foundation for us in our own marriages to Glenn and Amy.
Shortly after graduation, you began your 43-year career at Texas Eastman. You were well-respected, and so many of the people you interacted with in your career will still say today that you had a significant impact on them both personally and professionally. You taught us what a strong work ethic looks like, you held us to a high standard, and expected us to always be respectful to those that give us the opportunity to provide for our families.
Your work at Eastman allowed us to have the greatest childhood. We had a home that you built, everything we needed and everything we wanted, and we always knew we were fully and unconditionally loved. You took us on amazing road trip adventures, fostering our love for God’s amazing creation, and giving us forever memories.
It’s hard to think of you without seeing a fishing pole in your hand. You would fish anytime and anywhere. Although you very seldom came home without catching anything, you never came home without a story, like the time your cell phone ended up at the bottom of the lake. We laughed until we cried. But it was the act of fishing—being outside with people you loved—that was truly your passion. We all loved challenging you in our annual fishing competitions at Pearl Lakes on our family vacations. Your passion for sharing the outdoors with people you love also spread to the camaraderie of the hunting lease that you shared for 45 years. These men are, simply put, members of your family.
We all have the most beautiful hand-crafted wooden masterpieces in our homes to remind us of you. You’ve built everything from American Girl doll furniture for Madison and Maryna, a one-of-a-kind Dungeons and Dragons dice box for Jacob, to gorgeous furniture, jewelry boxes, and more for family and friends. You even built hundreds of projects for VBS at First Baptist Church. No scrap of wood was too small to become a treasure, and everything you made was built with love.
Outside of our family, you loved your church. You served as the Chairmen of the Deacons and taught Sunday School for 50 years, but one of your greatest passions was working with the kitchen staff cooking for Wednesday nights. You loved your brothers in Christ and cooked and served with tremendous joy alongside them. You were a remarkable example of selfless service, never seeking attention and working tirelessly with a smile. You were wise and met people where they were. People came to you for honest wisdom, even when that advice was hard to hear.
Your sense of humor was dry and witty, and you never missed a chance to make a quick joke. Laughter and love are the defining characteristics of our family. We are your legacy, and we have much to live up to. We already miss you and will every day of our lives, but we are who we are today because of the amazing man you were.
We love you,
Ash and Jeff
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