- Born on: April 3, 1937
- Departed on: April 16, 2021
- Resided in: Cedar Rapids, IA
Paul Dean Hansel
Paul Dean Hansel, 84, passed away unexpectedly yet peacefully at Heritage Specialty Care in Cedar Rapids on Friday morning, April 16, 2021, which was his father’s birthday. Per Paul’s wishes, there will no visitation or services. Iowa Cremation is assisting the family.
Paul was born on April 3, 1937, in rural Edgewood, Iowa, to Leroy and B. Jennie Mangold Hansel. Paul told the story many times about his dad having to use the tractor to drag the doctor’s car up a muddy lane in order to deliver him. He graduated from Elkader Central in 1955 and married Barbara Sutliff on October 6, 1957, at First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon.
Paul was raised on farms and loved the outdoors, including fishing, hunting and gardening, and was especially proud of his beautiful flower gardens. Other favorite pastimes included spending time with his family and friends and visiting Meskwaki Casino with Barbara. He worked in the concrete, construction, carpenter and millwright fields most of his working years, retiring in 2002 after 16 years at the General Motors truck and bus plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was always known for being an extraordinarily hard worker and loved every minute of it. Paul went through some tough times during his years, but his favorite saying always was, “What will be will be.” He loved country music, especially “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Prop Me Up By The Jukebox,” and his favorite hymn was “In the Garden.”
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara; his sister, Diane Breitsprecher, Elkader; his three children: Julie (Rick) Novak, Cedar Rapids; Eric (Sharon Harp) Hansel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Brett (Sarah) Hansel, Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren: Nicole (Jacob) Schroeder. Cedar Rapids; Seth Hansel and Shey Hansel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; twins David and Zoe Hansel, Cedar Rapids; his most special granddog, Ava Marie; and many nieces and nephews. He was much loved and will be missed by many.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Phyllis Freitag and Sheryl Harmon.
A heartfelt thank you from Paul’s entire family to Heritage staff for the amazing care and attention they gave him during these past two years.
Memorial donations may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Paul was born on April 3, 1937, in rural Edgewood, Iowa, to Leroy and B. Jennie Mangold Hansel. Paul told the story many times about his dad having to use the tractor to drag the doctor’s car up a muddy lane in order to deliver him. He graduated from Elkader Central in 1955 and married Barbara Sutliff on October 6, 1957, at First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon.
Paul was raised on farms and loved the outdoors, including fishing, hunting and gardening, and was especially proud of his beautiful flower gardens. Other favorite pastimes included spending time with his family and friends and visiting Meskwaki Casino with Barbara. He worked in the concrete, construction, carpenter and millwright fields most of his working years, retiring in 2002 after 16 years at the General Motors truck and bus plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was always known for being an extraordinarily hard worker and loved every minute of it. Paul went through some tough times during his years, but his favorite saying always was, “What will be will be.” He loved country music, especially “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Prop Me Up By The Jukebox,” and his favorite hymn was “In the Garden.”
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara; his sister, Diane Breitsprecher, Elkader; his three children: Julie (Rick) Novak, Cedar Rapids; Eric (Sharon Harp) Hansel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Brett (Sarah) Hansel, Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren: Nicole (Jacob) Schroeder. Cedar Rapids; Seth Hansel and Shey Hansel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; twins David and Zoe Hansel, Cedar Rapids; his most special granddog, Ava Marie; and many nieces and nephews. He was much loved and will be missed by many.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Phyllis Freitag and Sheryl Harmon.
A heartfelt thank you from Paul’s entire family to Heritage staff for the amazing care and attention they gave him during these past two years.
Memorial donations may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
