Obituary of Eric Thomas Hansen

Eric Hansen was born June 18, 1935 in Fort St. John, BC to Nels and Hazel Hansen. He had 2 brothers, 5 sisters. Eric moved to Salmon Arm, BC when he was 13 years of age. Eric worked at Newnes machine shop as a welder and machinest while growing up in Salmon Arm. In Salmon Arm he met his loving wife Eileen Hopkins. Eileen and Eric were married November 15, 1955. They had 6 children. Eric changed jobs and went to work at Mica Dam in Revelstoke, BC. In 1967 Eric and Eileen moved their family to Dawson Creek, BC where they purchased the farm, 5 ½ sections all bush. In 1979 they started their own construction company while still farming. The farm was often chaotic, usually there was some sort of equipment stuck in a big mud hole. Dad was a perfectionist and had a good eye; Too good! Nobody wanted to fence with him because he was so picky about having the posts perfect. Dad was always there to help someone out. If you wanted to learn how to weld, run a cutting torch or learn how to drive any piece of equipment, he would be right there to show you. Dad was all about family. The grandchildren had a never ending gas supply for the farm trucks and quad. Eric Thomas Hansen, A.K.A./ ET could often be heard saying the following; 1) When I was a kid we walked uphill to school both ways. 2) If a man can't maintain a pickup, how can he maintain a woman? 3) Don't you have enough common sense to figure it out? 4) At the end of the day, all you have is your family, I hope they turn out right. Dad was never known to be much of a cook. A loaf of bread and butter or a can of beans heated on the exhaust manifold of the cat got him through the day. Dad enjoyed calls and visits from family and friends. Besides family, he enjoyed and looked forward to visits from Tom and Bill. Dad was a good, honest man. He believed in hard work, goals and having dreams. Eric was predeceased by his parents Nels and Hazel; daughter Lenora; grandson Craig; sister Beverly; brother Allan. He is survived by his loving wife Eileen; sons Lorne, Wayne (Kerry); daughters Linda (John), Betty (Myron), Lorraine (Alfie); brother Karl; sisters Betty, Hazel, Margaret, Dorothy; 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Eric passed away Tuesday, June 1, 2010 in Dawson Creek, BC at the age of 74 years. A funeral service was held Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm from Reynars Funeral Chapel; Pauline Haycock officiated; Interment followed in the Brookside Cemetery. For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Eric to the South Peace Hospice Palliative Care Society, Room 101, 816-103 Ave, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2G1.