John W. Hansen

SOUTH PORTLAND - John W. Hansen, 87, of South Portland, died July 13, 2011 at the Maine Veteran's Home in Scarborough. He was born July 12, 1924 in Portland Maine, the son of Walter J. and Catherine E. Flaherty Hansen. He was a 1942 graduate of South Portland High School. Following high school he enlisted in the U. S. Army during WWII from March 1943 through March 1946. He served in the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion in Europe and then in the Philippines as the war came to an end. His awards include the WWII Victory Medal, the EAME Theatre Campaign Medal, the American Theatre Campaign Ribbon and the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Campaign Ribbon. John returned home after the war and married Virginia G. (Cookson) Darling on May 10, 1947. Virginia was a war widow with three small children and together with John began raising their instant family. They would later be blessed with two sons of their own. After working a short while as a letter carrier, John then became an iron worker for Union Local #496. During John's 38 year career he worked throughout many states in the northeast as a foreman on many bridge and building projects such as the Tobin (Mystic River), Tappan Zee Bridge, Fall River Bridge and the Piscataqua River Bridge between Maine and New Hampshire. Some of the notable buildings include the Prudential and John Hancock Buildings in Boston as well as the high rise apartments on Munjoy Hill. In 1960, he worked on the erecting of WGAN-TV tower in Raymond that was 1750 feet tall. At the time, it was the tallest structure in the world. Other projects included the Maine Yankee and Seabrook nuclear power plants. He and his co-workers were the last of the "hot riveting gangs" prior to today's use of nuts and bolts. John and his co-workers were nicknamed "The Hole in the Wall Gang" from the many large projects they worked together. John was a past President and first Apprentice Coordinator of the Ironworkers Apprentice Training Program for the Ironworker's Union Local until 1970. He completely retired from the Ironworker's union in 1985 but continued attending many functions and conferences sponsored by Ironworker's union. He was a former communicant of Holy Cross Church in South Portland. John enjoyed gardening, reading and his two trips to Europe with Virginia. They also travelled to various locations in the U.S. and Canada. John was predeceased by his parents, his wife Virginia "Ginny" in July of 2001, and his sister Mary Densmore in 2008. Surviving are: two sons, Steven J. Hansen and his wife Hildegard; Michael W. Hansen and his wife Julie, both of South Portland; two step-daughters, Diane English and her husband Frank of South Dakota; Donna Kalinyak and her husband Robert of Cumberland; a stepson, Daniel Darling and his wife Franny of Portland; eleven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. Visiting hours will be held from 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. on Saturday at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway South Portland, followed by a 12:30 p.m. funeral service at the chapel. Burial will follow in Forest City Cemetery, South Portland with Military Rites. John's family would like to thank the Maine Veteran's Home in Scarborough for the outstanding medical care and personal involvement provided by their staff during his stay. In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory may be made to the Maine Veteran's Home, 180 U.S. Route 1 Scarborough, Maine 04074 or to the charity of one's choice. Online Condolences for John Hansen