Lorin George Hansen

Another gentle soul has come to the end of this earthly trail. Lorin G. Hansen quietly passed away May 4, 2009 at Bingham Memorial Hospital in Blackfoot, Idaho after a short illness complicated by an old, worn out body.

Lorin was born June 20, 1914 Upper Presto (Firth), Idaho to George David and Isabelle Teeples Hansen. He lived all of his life within a quarter mile of his birthplace. He attended Upper Presto School and graduated from Firth High School. He also attended University of Idaho but quickly returned home to work on the farm.

On December 13, 1937 he married Virginia D. Walton. He met her at the home of his Aunt Carrie Hansen, who was married to Virginia’s Uncle Willard Higley. They were together for 70 years until Virginia passed away one year ago, May 13, 2008. They lived in the same house the entire time where they raised five children and several foster sons.

He was at one time the youngest and then for many years the oldest member of the Eastern Idaho Grazing Association.

Lorin was a man of the land by trade. His hobby was work, and his work was ranching. He raised hay, grain, beets, hogs, cattle, dairy cows, and his favorite—sheep. He loved his animals and treated them well. One of his philosophies was to pick a prize sire of any species—it determined half the genetics of the herd. He also had a trucking company that hauled sheep from the mountains around Tin Cup and Wayan including Caribou Mountain. He remembered the days of loading sheep onto rail cars in Soda Springs where there were 100 fully loaded double-decker cars at a time.

He never had a formal religion; nevertheless, he lived God’s commandments. His honesty and integrity were without fault. He never liked crowds nor was he demonstrative, yet he was tender with his loved ones.

Lorin is survived by three daughters, Susan (Bob) Errington of Newbury Park, California; Judith (Alan) Jolley and Ann Marie (Chester) Whiteside, and one son, Gene (Susan) Hansen all of Firth; 15 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren; sisters Ruby Hanft of Blackfoot and Verna (Bill) Johnson of Shelley, one brother, Gerald (Betty) Hansen of Shelley; and one cousin raised by his mother, Bertha Brown of California.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and one brother, Carl.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 9 at 11 a.m. at Nalder Funeral Home, 110 W. Oak, in Shelley. The family will receive friends from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday and from 9:30-10:40 prior to the services.