Thomas "Tom" L. Hansen

Thomas Leo Hansen, 88, of Dell Rapids, S.D., passed away on Friday, August 2, 2024 under hospice care. His Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 in St. Mary Catholic Church. Interment will be in the St. Mary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at Kahler-Brende Funeral Home with the wake starting at 7:00 p.m.

Thomas Leo Hansen was born June 3, 1936, to Leo and Ida Hansen of Dell Rapids. He was one of 16 children and has an identical twin, Terry, and he was very much a man of the land. He spent his formative years farming and often was happiest puttering around on his farm. He married Shirley Hartman in 1961, built their home mere steps from the farmhouse in which he himself was born and where he would continue to live his entire life, and they had four children. Following their divorce in 1981, he married Roberta Miller in 1984 and expanded his family to include four step children.

A true son of Dell Rapids, Thomas attended St. Mary’s grade and high schools before shipping off to army boot camp in Detroit in the mid-1950s. On his return, he began building houses with Sy Franzen over the next two decades and turned to farming in the late 1970s, which he would continue to do until his retirement. Ironically, he seemed busier after he retired, taking on construction and remodeling projects for friends and family and his parish, and going on long daily walks to keep active and fit. He had also been a treasurer for the local grain co-op and, among other things, had served as board member of different entities from the local lumber yard to St. Mary’s cemetery.

In his spare time Thomas enjoyed hunting and fishing and the occasional round of golf. He was an active member of the Dell Rapids Sportsmen Club, earning more trophies than he had shelf space for.

Grateful to have shared his life are his daughter JoAnn of Laveen, Ariz.; sons Thomas (Kopin) of New York City and Stuart of Denver; step-daughter Tamara (Daniel) Magaard of St. Cloud, Minn.; and step-sons Todd Miller and Keith (Cheryl) Miller, both of Marshall, Minn., and all their families. He is also survived by his twin brother, Terry; a sister, Erma Jean; his younger brother, David, and too many nieces and nephews to list. He is preceded in death by his infant daughter, Jacqueline, second wife, Roberta, step-daughter, Debra Marie and numerous siblings.

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