Keith Hansen
Celebration of Life Service - Keith Hansen
HANSEN, Keith Levern
May 2, 1936 - April 20, 2022
Dear McDougall United Church community, family, and friends,
It is with heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Keith Hansen yesterday morning. Please keep Janet and the Hansen family in your prayers during this difficult time. There will be a celebration of life service for Keith here at McDougall United Church on Saturday April 23 at 2PM. May Keith be remembered with love from the McDougall community and may he rest in peace.
Keith’s Obituary
Keith was born in Didsbury, Alberta on May 2, 1936, to Opal Marie Jackson and Lester Stauffer. When Keith was four years old and younger brother Trevor still a baby, their dad died suddenly. They remained on the farm until their mother married Paul Hansen, who was Keith's stepfather through his childhood. Little sister Gayle soon joined the family. They moved to Calgary while Keith was young. He got to know the north end of the city like the back of his hand, while working as a paper carrier for The Calgary Herald.
Keith graduated from Crescent Heights High School. After a six week teacher training course he began teaching in Coronation, Alberta. Some of his students were not much younger and noticeably bigger than he was, but Keith had a natural skill for controlling a classroom. He studied at the University of Alberta, earning the BA that enabled him to continue his long career in teaching.
On August 23, 1958, Keith married Janet Beairsto in Sedgwick, Alberta. In 1959 they moved to Calgary, where both Keith and Janet began teaching for the Calgary Board of Education. Keith's first Calgary school was Curry Jr. High. He moved on to Sunalta Jr. High, where in 1968 he became the youngest principal in the Calgary system. Over the course of his career, Keith also served as principal of Milton Williams, Bishop Pinkham and Bob Edwards Junior Highs. He retired from Bob Edwards in 1994.
Keith and Janet built a new house in Southeast Calgary in the spring of 1964. Their two young daughters, Tara and Carla, moved into the house with them, and their son James arrived a few years later. Over the years Keith honed his considerable skills as a handyman and designer finishing and renovating the house, turning it into a home. "His people" have often admired and imitated his clever innovations. Keith lived in that house until the spring of 2021, when failing health demanded a move to full-time care.
Alongside designing and constructing, Keith took joy in music throughout his life. He was an enthusiastic banjo player who spent many happy hours playing and singing with his fellow Folk Bugs. His melodic tenor voice was much appreciated by the choir at McDougall United Church. After retirement, Keith joined the Chinook chapter of the Calgary Rotarians where he volunteered many hours fund-raising for the service club parking cars at Spruce Meadows.
Keith and Janet also filled their post-retirement years travelling with dear friends Cec and Joan Day. They visited far-off places such as England, Ireland, Scandinavia, Northern Europe, New Zealand and Australia twice. There was also a tour of Southeast Asia on which Keith and Janet rode an elephant.
Keith was known for his generosity and his friendliness. He loved nothing better than to chat and share stories with friends and strangers alike. He was a principled man who never stood down to a bully, and taught his children to do likewise.
Keith is predeceased by his parents, his brother Trevor Stauffer, his nephew Robbie Carter, his niece Tanya Lawson and his beloved Auntie Verna Jackson.
Keith is survived by Janet, his wife of 63 years; his sister Gayle Carter (Robert); his brother-in-law Brian Beairsto; his sister-in-law Phylis Westhora; his children, Tara Heilke (Thomas), Carla dePalezieux (Ed), and James Hansen (Paula Gunn); his grandchildren, Natalia Heilke Petter (Jeremy), Matthias Heilke, Kristopher dePalezieux (Holly Shaw), Rebecca Hansen, and Kate Hansen and his great-granddaughter, Tesni Petter, as well as numerous nieces and a nephew, all of whom mattered deeply to him.
Keith will be deeply missed by the many friends and family members who loved him, but we are thankful to know that he has been released from his suffering. Our thanks to the kind and caring staff at Foothills and South Campus Hospitals, to the wonderful staff at Swan Evergreen and Millrise Senior's Village and to Keith's dear friend in his final years, Don Mugridge.