Willard Owen Leroy Hanson

Willard Owen Leroy Hanson, aged 93, passed away peacefully at the Victoria Hospice on December 17, 2025, after a life well-lived.

Willard was born on a farm near Viscount, Saskatchewan (Sec 36, Tp 34, Rge 27, W2) on Feb 8, 1932, to Emma (Mattson) and Ward Hanson, and lived most of his life around Meacham, Saskatchewan.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years (married in 1957), Virtue (Klukewich), also of Meacham. When asked how they met, she said, “We were from a small town, so everybody knew everybody.”

Willard and Virtue had four children: Douglas (passed away shortly after birth), Cindy Hanson (Doug Racine), Lori Hanson and Yvonne Hanson (Bob Smith); nine grandchildren: Vanya Hanson, Cal Lakevold; Xochitl, Sasha, Xilonen and Silvio Hanson-Pastran; and Nadja, Yolande and Carmin Smith-Hanson; and four great-grandchildren: Njiba, Nico, Rio and Solanna. Predeceased by his parents and his brother, Ardell Hanson, Willard is survived by his sister, Gail Grotkowski (Dennis), and numerous relatives on the Hanson and Mattson sides of the family.

Willard attended York School – a one-room schoolhouse – until grade 8. In 1969 he was certified as a journeyman mechanic. Then, in 1982 he graduated as an adult learner with grade 12 equivalency (GED).

In his younger years, Willard loved to ride horseback (bareback), hunt with hounds and horses, play baseball, and he never missed a good dance! Music, especially polkas, was important to his well-being. He experienced much enjoyment through community dances, the CJWW radio program on Saturday nights called “Old Tyme Dance Party”, and being a DJ at his condo in Kelowna with his wide assortment of CD’s and 8-tracks including Walter Ostanek, Patsy Cline, and the Statler Brothers.

Willard loved telling jokes and good stories. He was renowned for his unique sense of humour, spin on life, and his remarkable memory including meticulous recounts of local and provincial history. Until just days before he passed, he delighted in reciting a list of Saskatchewan community names from A-Z. Reading the Western Producer from cover to cover was also a weekly pastime.

Willard was a hard worker. As a young man, he worked as a hired hand on local farms and on oil rigs in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Immediately following marriage Willard and Virtue built their first house on Jackson Ave in Saskatoon using only hand tools! Then Willard, wanting to return to Meacham, borrowed money, bought a garage where he worked as a mechanic and insurance broker, sold farm equipment (Oliver, later Cockshutt), and became the Chev-Olds dealer. All of that was to lead to his true calling as a farmer, which he started while simultaneously holding jobs as a journeyman mechanic and welder for the Patience Lake Potash Mine and for the Saskatchewan Department of Highways.

In the early 1970’s Willard and Virtue built a house on the Klukewich homestead south of Meacham where they operated a grain farm and raised livestock. Farming had its hardships. Passionate about the plight of farmers, Willard was a vocal member and advocate of the National Farmers’ Union, and did not hesitate to participate in protests such as those from 1971 that challenged Pierre Trudeau’s government and its declining supports for the family farm. Taking his daughters along to such events, assisted in teaching activism to them at an early age.

Willard was a community-minded leader and served for decades as a board member of the Meacham Co-op and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, as well as being an organizer for the NDP.  He also frequently served as a draw master at the Meacham curling rink, and started and coached a baseball team known as the Meacham Broncs. After retirement he served as a volunteer with the Thresherman’s Club at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon, fixing and running the tractors and equipment during threshing displays.

In the early 90’s and with persuasion from Virtue, they left the prairies for Creston, BC. Here, they started a series of market stands –buying and selling– something Willard loved to do. After a few years, they moved back to Saskatoon and remained there until 2019 when they returned to BC – this time to Kelowna and retirement.

Willard’s passions were many including: playing the card game Kaiser, going for drives in the country, hunting, playing with his grandchildren, drinking whiskey with friends, tinkering in his shop, doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, eating a good peanut butter sandwich, and watching curling or the Blue Jays on TV. Willard and Virtue travelled extensively; sometimes with family and other times with the Dieno’s or Nimchuk’s.

He was a collector of license plates for a time, but W.O. as he was sometimes called, especially treasured his collection of model antique tractors – holding onto his memories of farming no matter where he lived.

Willard will be fondly missed by family and friends.

The family would like to thank the Victoria Hospice staff and volunteers for their respectful and compassionate care in the final days of Willard’s life.

A memorial service will be held in Saskatchewan at a date TBD in 2026. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Western Development Museum in Saskatoon. https://wdm.ca/get-involved/donate/ ^[1]

Offer Condolence for the family of Willard Owen Leroy Hanson ^[2]