Obituary from George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Homes:
Donald F. Hansen, 88, of Needham, died on Saturday, November 16, 2013.
Mr. Hansen was born and raised in Maynard. He graduated from Maynard High School in 1943 and then enrolled in the U.S. Navy’s V-12 Program while attending Dartmouth College. He served as an Ensign on the U.S.S. New York until 1946 at which time he returned to Dartmouth and graduated in 1948. He subsequently joined the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. as a physicist and participated in many of the nuclear bomb test programs conducted in the Pacific Ocean in the 1950’s through the early 1970‘s. He joined Edgerton, Germeshausen and Grier (EG&G) in 1960 which resulted in his moving back to Massachusetts.
He and his family bought a home in Needham where he lived for the remainder of his life. He was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Church. In 1971, Mr. Hansen and several EG&G colleagues formed HSS, Inc. located in Bedford. He was president of the company until the business ceased operations in 1995 when the principals retired. He remained active upon retirement and especially enjoyed gardening, genealogy and maintaining a worldwide network of friends and family via the Internet.
Donald F. Hansen, 88, of Needham, died on Saturday, November 16, 2013.
Mr. Hansen was born and raised in Maynard. He graduated from Maynard High School in 1943 and then enrolled in the U.S. Navy’s V-12 Program while attending Dartmouth College. He served as an Ensign on the U.S.S. New York until 1946 at which time he returned to Dartmouth and graduated in 1948. He subsequently joined the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. as a physicist and participated in many of the nuclear bomb test programs conducted in the Pacific Ocean in the 1950’s through the early 1970‘s. He joined Edgerton, Germeshausen and Grier (EG&G) in 1960 which resulted in his moving back to Massachusetts.
He and his family bought a home in Needham where he lived for the remainder of his life. He was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Church. In 1971, Mr. Hansen and several EG&G colleagues formed HSS, Inc. located in Bedford. He was president of the company until the business ceased operations in 1995 when the principals retired. He remained active upon retirement and especially enjoyed gardening, genealogy and maintaining a worldwide network of friends and family via the Internet.
He is survived by his son Michael; his grandchildren Matthew, Samantha and Rachel; his sister Florence; and his 10 nieces and nephews. Mr. Hansen was preceded in death by his wife Marian (Sheridan) and younger son Mark.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 1305 Highland Ave., Needham, Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Bartholomew Church, Needham at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited. Interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Needham.
Donations in his memory may be made to St. Bartholomew’s Church, 1180 Greendale Ave., Needham, MA 02492.
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