Steven Kirk Hansen, age 74, passed away peacefully in his sleep at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colorado.
Steven was born in Salt Lake City to Dan and Dorothy Kirk Hansen and grew up in Bountiful, Utah. He loved the Boy Scouts of America and earned his Eagle Scout on Nov. 11, 1960, before graduating from Bountiful High School in 1964. Steven was called to serve a mission in Sweden for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He entered the missionary training center on March 15, 1965, and returned home with honor on August 31, 1967. He absolutely loved the people in Sweden and remained fluent in Swedish his entire life.
Upon returning home, Steven joined the United States Army and was honorably discharged in January 1970. He loved working in the Salt Lake City Temple with his dad. He would often share many stories of working in the Temple, but by far his best story was that of meeting the love of life, Dianne VanCleve, there. He said that he knew right away that this sweet, shy woman was the one he wanted to spend Eternity with. After just six short, fun-filled weeks, he asked her to marry him. They were married and sealed for time and all eternity on July 9, 1971.
Deciding together that they didn’t want to raise a family in the city, they packed up and moved to Moab. They bought a beautiful home on Hillside Drive and quickly fell in love with the neighborhood and the people there. Steve got a job at the Rio Algom Uranium mine in La Sal and worked there for many years. They soon found some land in La Sal to build their forever home and raise their family in. Together they decided that they would do whatever it took to stay in La Sal for the rest of their lives.
When the mine closed down, Steven went to work for Redd Ranches and spent many years building fences on the La Sal Mountains. He did many jobs throughout his life, including driving the school bus for many years. He loved all the kids that rode his bus from La Sal to school in Monticello. He delivered propane for Petrolane and drove a truck and delivered for Canyonlands Dairy. He finally “settled down” and got a job as the maintenance man at San Juan Hospital in Monticello where he worked for 21 years, retiring in 2014.
Steve always loved spending time with his grandkids and would often take them for rides to “get a hamburger.” He loved being a member of the La Sal Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He held many callings, but his favorite was being a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America.
Steven is survived by his children, Kirk Hansen of La Sal, UT, Jalaine Hopkins (Don) of La Sal, UT, Ryan Hansen (Jannette) of Mountain View, WY, and Kevin Hansen of Lakewood, CO; his ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; his sister, Linda Hansen Zobell (Gary) of Duchesne, UT; and his brother, David Hansen (Melony) of Farmington, UT. Steve was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Dianne Hansen, his older sister, Judy Hansen Knight (John); his older brother, John Hansen; his younger sister, Juelle Hansen Sorensen (Keith); and younger sister, Marianne Hansen Harwood (Jay).
A memorial service will be held at a later date and time. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for our family.
