Cloudy, 58° F
(Oct. 7, 1936 - April, 8, 2012)
Larry Hans, 75, of Powell died Sunday, April, 8, 2012, surrounded by his family.
He was born on Oct. 7, 1936, in Ironton, Mo., to Conrad Lawrence Hans and Helen Julia (Bujala) Hans. His mother Helen died when he was very young. His father married Minnette and together they raised Minnette’s two young daughters Arline and Nancy, Larry and his big brother Bob. He loved and looked up to his big brother.
Larry married Donna Rae Johnson in 1957. Together they raised three daughters in California. As young parents Larry always liked to say, “We all grew up together.” They later divorced after 36 years of accomplishments and challenges.
While in California, Larry and Jim Bald, one of his best friends, began what turned out to be a successful business together, “LA Drywall.” Oh, the stories they could tell.
The family moved to Wyoming in 1971, where he restored and remodeled many of Cody’s historic homes and buildings, including the Irma Hotel, the Green Gables and many more. He was extremely proud of the two log homes he built. From cutting down the trees to chinking the logs, he built Bob and Ruth Dohse’s home along the river in Wapiti and Mike and Cindy Catterton’s cabin up Green Creek. His talents were unlimited and he enjoyed sharing them with his work mates/friends including Dick Cole and Brad Meeker and many more. He continued to do small remodeling jobs, never really retiring until recently due to COPD which eventually took his last breath.
In 1995 his friendship with Jean Leslie grew and evolved and they became “Lifetime Partners.” She was always by his side and they were very happy together. That made their families very happy too. Jean and Larry lived the “in sickness and in health” thing for sure. Over the past few years they each went through bouts of serious ill health, one taking care of the other through whatever happened.
Larry enjoyed watching the Decorah Eagles on the Internet. He liked video poker, liked to deep fry turkey for holidays and was a pretty good cook. He went for long walks almost every day and picked wild asparagus to bring home for dinner when he found it. He had a wicked sense of humor. Larry enjoyed driving family and friends around Yellowstone and Cody to show them the sights and tell them the history. Throughout his life, Larry had many hobbies and pastimes that he truly loved and shared with his family and friends, from the oceans to the mountains, he embraced them all with aplomb.
He was able to donate his corneas.
Larry is survived by his lifetime partner Jean Leslie of Powell; brother Bob (Claudia) Hans; sisters Arline Rabjohn and Nancy (Tim) Olds, all of California; daughters, Debi (Tim) Dawe, Melodie (Bob) Ferri, Laura (Denny) Drewes, all of Cody; grandchildren, Kevin, Travis and Lindsy Dawe, Martin Borden, Lea and Drew Mangus, Larry and Ty Clark, Graham and Cole Drewes; 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Larry’s Life will be held at The Irma Lounge on Saturday, April 28 from 2-4 p.m.
An online guestbook is available at www.ballardfh.com.
