Paul Christian Hanson July 18, 1923 – March 10, 2019 Share this obituary Send Sympathy Gifts Sign Guestbook| View Guestbook Entries| Send Sympathy Card Paul Christian Hanson, age 95, died on March 10, 2019 at his home in Henrico County, Virginia. He was born on July 18, 1923, in Richmond to Oscar T. and Siloam B. Hanson. Paul spent the first thirteen years of his life living on his family farm, Lone Oak Farm, where they produced eggs, chickens, and vegetables for the Richmond market.
Problems developed after his mother died when he was 10 years old, and, at 14, he moved to Richmond to live with his aunts, Eunice and Bessie Moore and his Grandmother, Hannah Moore. In Richmond, he supported himself delivering newspapers while attending John Marshall High School. Entering the Army in January 1943, he received his Basic and Advanced training in California.
He was assigned to C Company, 141st Regiment, 36 Infantry Division as member of a mortar crew. He shipped out with the 36th to Algeria in North Africa. Subsequently, he traveled by landing craft to Italy, landing at Salerno in September 1943 as part of the allied invasion of Italy.
After participating in the fighting at Salerno, he marched with the 36th to occupy Naples. Paul fought with the 36th during much of Naples-Foggia campaign, engaging in many operations including the battle at the Rapido River. He also assisted with the evacuation of civilians off the slopes of Mount Vesuvius when it erupted March 18-23, 1944.
At the end of his service with the 36th, Paul returned to the U.S. with his platoon on a transport ship guarding German prisoners. While still on active duty immediately after the war ended, Paul volunteered as part of a small Army detachment on transport ships bringing soldiers back to the U.S. from the Pacific Theater. He made two trips in this capacity, traveling to Okinawa and Japan.
While in Japan, he traveled by jeep with several other Army personnel to the outskirts of Hiroshima. He received the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. After completing active duty, Paul returned to Richmond where he met and married Athene Young.
Together they raised three children, Gary, Janet, and Robert. Paul worked in a number of fields including: insurance, the Post Office, and other sales positions, until joining the City of Richmond as a real estate appraiser, retiring in 1988. He also worked as an appraiser for Henrico, Dinwiddie, and Montgomery counties.
He continued his military service as a member of the Virginia National Guard, serving in infantry and armored units until retiring from the Guard in 1977. Paul loved to travel. He and Athene, often with their children or grandchildren, made many road trips throughout the continental U.S. and trips to Alaska and Hawaii.
They also traveled to Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America. He once said, “Never let a job get in the way of a good vacation”. Paul was an avid tennis player, actively playing well into his 80s.
He also was a certified Scuba diver and a member of the Undersea Explorers Club. He loved joining his old neighborhood friends at the “Church Hill Gang” get-togethers. Paul is survived by his wife of 68 years, Athene, his children and their spouses, Gary and Elise Hanson, Janet and Fernando Claro, and Robert and Terri Hanson.
He is also survived by his grandchildren: Patricia Atkins, Joel Hamilton, Lisa Hanson, Christian Hanson, Sadie Hanson, and Seth Hanson; and great grandchildren: Mackinsey and Clara Hamilton, Fischer, Gracie-May Athene, Hudson Paul Atkins, and Layla Rose Walls. Visitation on Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m. and services beginning on Friday, at 11 a.m. at Bennett Funeral Home in Mechanicsville, with interment in Forest Lawn cemetery.
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