W. Dean Hanson

Juniata resident W. Dean Hanson, 86, passed away Saturday, July 6, 2024, at his home. 

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 11, at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hastings with Pastor Joel Remmers officiating. Burial with military rites by the Hastings Military Honor Guard will be at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 3-7 p.m. with the family present 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the funeral home, and one hour before the service at the church. Memorials may be given to the Dean Hanson Memorial Fund to support local 4-H programs and agricultural scholarships. The service will be live-streamed on First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church’s Facebook page. 

Dean was born on October 11, 1937, at home near Glenvil, NE, to Wilbur and Talitha (Kroger) Hanson who paid the doctor with cream and eggs. In 1941, with the birth of his sister, Twila, the family moved to their farm south of Juniata, near Wilbur’s parents’ home. Dean would live all the rest of his life on his beloved "Swedish Mile." 

He was confirmed in 1951 at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He attended Roseland High School where he was a letterman in track and graduated as the valedictorian in 1955. A member of Ag-Men, Dean graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in January 1959. 

Dean entered the Army after graduation and after completing basic training, served at both Ft. Riley in Junction City, KS and Ft. Lewis in Tacoma, WA as a Company Clerk. 

Dean returned home from service in 1961 to help manage the family farm and grow his cattle operation. Dean married Mary Beekman in 1963 and they raised four children, Janet Kay, David Dean, Steven Elry, and Barbara Ann until Mary passed away in 2000. 

Dean was a constant presence at local 4-H contests and high school events. He served on the Adams County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Sirloin Club, and the Adams County Fair Board. He served First St. Paul's Lutheran Church in several capacities including the Church Council, Building Committee, and Foundation Committee. He received the Kiwanis Club Outstanding Farmer Award in 1975. 

Dean married Sandra Plambeck in 2003. They continued to farm and enjoy many family travels and events. Extra special blessings included watching 20 grandchildren grow and the welcoming of six great-granddaughters.

A fourth-generation farmer, also known as the “Supreme Commander,” he passed on to his family numerous kernels of wisdom including his most famous: “If you take care of the land, the land will take care of you.” Dean was forever attempting to push the boundaries of agriculture with a curiosity that was only bounded by the pages in the many legal pads that piled high on his desk. He had a talent for producing fine beef and was a fixture at local carcass contests before turning his attention to field crops almost exclusively. Even there, Dean experimented constantly with crops and techniques in a constant search for a better way to live with "Father Time, Mother Nature, and Uncle Sam."

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur and Talitha (Kroger) Hanson; wife, Mary Anna Beekman; daughter-in-law, Debbie Pavelka Hanson; step-daughter, Crystal Plambeck; and step-son, Terry Plambeck.

He is survived by: 
Wife:
    Sandra Plambeck Hanson 
Children:
    Janet Hanson (Jack Jensen)
    David Hanson (Christine Fecko) 
    Steve Hanson (Tina Hanson) 
    Barbara Hanson Langford (William Langford)
Step-Children:
    Robin Rutt 
    Brad Plambeck (Tara Plambeck)
    Rochelle Plambeck 
    Chad Plambeck
Sister:
    Twila Westerman
Beloved Grandchildren:
    Seth Plambeck (Erin Plambeck-Sturgis) 
    Jessica Plambeck 
    Kelsey Guenther (Joseph Guenther) 
    Tyler Stark (Madeline Privette) 
    Erin Kobza (Mitch Kobza) 
    MaKayla Rutt 
    Emily Stark 
    Quin Rutt (Carlee Meeks Rutt) 
    Levi Plambeck 
    D Henry Hanson 
    AJ Hanson 
    Mary Langford 
    Robert Zhang 
    Sidney Langford 
    Jessica Zhang 
    Oscar Langford 
    Clay Plambeck 
    Cody Plambeck 
    Alex Hanson 
    Jaxon Hanson
Beloved Great-Grandchildren:
    Charlotte Kobza
    Hensley Guenther 
    Camille Kobza 
    Murphy Sue Guenther 
    Ryan Plambeck 
    Shiloh Guenther
Many Nieces & Nephews