J. Richard Hanna

MONTROSE — Joseph Richard (Dick) Hanna, 88, of Montrose, Colo., died on Saturday morning, Oct. 17, 2009, at Valley Manor Care Center. He was born on Oct. 27, 1920 in Brookline, Pa. to Clarence Richard Hanna and Helen May (Reinecker) Hanna.

Dick served in the Army Air Corps during WWII as an armament officer in the 549th Night Fighter Squadron, supporting P-61 air missions from Iwo Jima. On Oct. 12, 1946, he married Olive Haggett at the Ardmore Baptist Church in Ardmore, Pa. He attended Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., receiving a B.A. degree in 1950. Dick and family moved to California in 1950 where he worked for Lockheed, first at their Burbank facility, and later at the Space and Missile Division in Sunnyvale, Calif. He retired after 28 years with the company. After retirement from Lockheed, he worked as a substitute math teacher at the high school and junior college in Saratoga, Calif.

Dick’s passion was football and baseball, as a player and as a coach. In 1962, he coached the Moreland Little League Baseball Team of San Jose, Calif. to the World Championship, held in Williamsport, Pa. He continued coaching baseball and football well into his retirement years.

In 2001, Dick and Olive moved to the Western Slope of Colorado to be closer to their children. He was a longtime member of Calvary Church in Los Gatos, Calif.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Olive Hanna of Montrose; his daughter, Nancy Hanna of Montrose; his son, Rich (Marge) Hanna of Montrose; three grandchildren, David (Tana) Hanna of Vilseck, Germany, Robert (Elizabeth) Hanna of Hampton, Va., and Bryan Hanna of Norfolk, Va.; and two great-grandchildren.

Services and interment will take place in Massena, N.Y. The family would like to thank all who provided loving care to Dick over the last year. Memorial donations can be sent to Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado, In Loving Memory of Dick Hanna, P.O. Box 1804, Montrose, CO 81402.  

Visit the website, sign the online register and send condolences to his family at www.sunsetmesafuneraldirectors.com.

Arrangements are being handled under the direction, care and have been entrusted by Dick’s family to Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors, 155 Merchant Drive, Montrose, CO  81401.