William V. Hanson

Bill Hanson,73, of Manhattan, KS, died Friday, August 23, 2013, at Stormont-Vail Healthcare in Topeka. Bill was born July 22, 1940, on the family farm near Olsburg, KS to Wendell and Ebba (Johnson) Hanson. He was a 1958 graduate of Westmoreland High School, a 1962 graduate of Bethany College, and received his master’s degree from Wichita State University in 1968. Bill and Carol Hart were married on June 24, 1962, in Westmoreland, KS. Bill’s professional career was interesting and varied. He started teaching business courses at McLouth High School after college graduation, and quickly moved into school administration. After teaching in McLouth and Sedgwick, he finished his teaching career as principal of Westmoreland High School. Always a farmer at heart – owning and operating the family farm in the early 1970’s - Bill’s interest in agriculture led him to employment with USDA/ASCS, where he spent six years in both the Riley County and State of Kansas offices. He then transferred to Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, where he worked in various positions in Manhattan and Kansas City. In Washington, DC he served as Director of the Reinsurance Contract Division. Bill returned to Manhattan from Washington in 1990 to work for a private crop insurance company, but eventually purchased several agencies in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and formed KanOk Insurance Services, Inc. After selling his own company, he continued employment with American AgCredit and retired in 2011. Bill’s proudest achievement in his career in agriculture was co-founding and serving as chairman of the Crop Insurance Professionals Association, LLC (CIPA). No job was ever above or beneath Bill. He worked successfully with politicians on Capitol Hill as easily as he did managing teen-age cashiers at McDonald’s. In addition to camping and gardening, Bill’s main interest was Barbershop singing. He was a charter member of the Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Little Apple Chorus. Bill served the Society in many capacities, including holding several offices on both the local and district levels. In 1994, he was chosen as the Central States District Barbershopper of the Year. Bill is survived by his wife, Carol, of the home, his daughter Lauri (Steve) Hopper of Oklahoma City, and his son Tom Hanson of St. Louis. Also surviving are grandchildren Megan and Ben Hopper of Wichita, and his sister Carol Ahlstedt of Salina, along with a large extended family. He loved spending time with all of them! Memorial Services will be held on Friday, August 30 at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Manhattan. Memorial contributions may be made to the Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society (Little Apple Chorus) or the First United Methodist Church Music Fund, and sent in care of Stewart Funeral Home, P. O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.