Frank Hansen
1926 - 2013 | Obituary
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Frank Hansen, longtime commercial airline pilot and
the first mayor of the City of SeaTac, died of cancer at his home on Dec. 21,
2013. He was 87.
Frank was born on Nov. 18, 1926 in Spokane, Wash., the fifth of six
children. His mother, Vesta Alexander, was the descendant of Spokane
homesteaders. His father, Bernard, immigrated to the U.S. from Norway and was an
early barnstormer pilot. Frank graduated from North Central High School and
learned to fly at Felts Field in Spokane, soloing on June 27, 1944. He headed to
Anchorage to take his first commercial flying job for famed Alaska bush pilot
Bob Reeve and Reeve Aleutian Airlines.
Frank's aviation career spanned 50 years, five airlines, numerous aircraft
and more than 25,000 hours of scheduled flying.
In 1950, Frank - nicknamed "Red" for his vibrant red hair - joined Pacific
Northern Airlines, where he became chief pilot and flew DC-3's, DC-4's and the
Lockheed Constellation.
When PNA merged with Western Airlines (The Only Way to Fly) in 1967, Frank
made the transition from propellers to jets. During his tenure at Western, Frank
flew the B-720B, B-727 and DC-10. He was active in joint ALPA/Western Airlines
legislative affairs, particularly surrounding the Airline Deregulation Act of
1978. He retired as a senior captain for Western in 1986.
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded Frank the prestigious Wright
Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2007. The award recognizes pilots who have
demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe
operations for 50 years or more.
In 1989, Frank began a new career in politics. He served a total of 16
years on the City of SeaTac City Council, including three terms as mayor.
Among his accomplishments, he was instrumental in obtaining approval for
the third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; securing funding for
the State Route 509 expansion project; moving City Hall to its current location
on South 188th Street; and working with the Port of Seattle to extend Seattle's
light rail service directly to SeaTac.
Frank enjoyed, in the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., to be involved in
the "passion and action of his time."
Frank had his very own brand of charm. He was open and unpretentious,
gregarious and funny, intelligent and warm. Frank couldn't go anywhere - whether
it was Costco or an international airport - without running into someone he
knew. He was a wonderful storyteller, drawing on a lifetime's worth of colorful
material. Frank derived great pleasure from his family, spending time in Maui,
reciting the poetry of Robert W. Service, and grilling flank steak and salmon on
his barbeque overlooking Angle Lake.
Frank is survived by his wife, Janet; daughter Amelia (Paolo Vescia); son
F. Bennett Hansen (LeAnne); granddaughters Madeleine and Natalie Vescia;
brothers Harold and Victor Hansen; stepdaughter Lisa Edwards (William); and
stepson Michael Burton (Lori). Frank was blessed to have innumerable friends,
supporters and fans; many considered him a father figure.
A celebration of Frank's life will be held at The Museum of Flight, 9404
East Marginal Way S. in Seattle on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 1-4 p.m. In lieu of
flowers, the Hansen family suggests making a donation in Frank's name to The
Museum of Flight, where he served on the board of trustees. www.museumofflight.org/give-a-tribute-gift
.Published in The Seattle Times on Jan. 5, 2014
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=frank-hansen&pid=168927690#sthash.b0w1IPMC.dpuf
PNA/WAL Capt. Frank Bennett Hansen
November 18, 1926 ~ December
21, 2013
Word has been received with the passing of PNA/WAL pilot Captain
Frank Bennett 'Boomer' Hansen, age 87.
Born/raised in the Spokane WA area, Frank was one of six children born to
parents Bernhard Martinius ‘Ben’ Hansen and Vesta Eliza nee’ Alexander
Hansen. He joined Pacific Northern Airlines 05-26-1951 and retired with Western Airlines at the
mandatory age 60 in 1986, based SEA.
Frank graduated from North Central High School and
learned to fly at Felts Field, where his grandfather Elmer Alexander had
homesteaded in the late 1800s. Capt. Frank Hansen soloed in 1944, and joined
PNA in 1951. Brother Victor is also a commercial pilot. Frank and Victor’s
father Ben was also a pilot and an accomplished early
aviator.
Survived by his wife Janet personal
condolences may be sent to the Hansen family at
3329 S. 194th St., Seatac WA 98188-5354 ... (206) 878-3200
The
family writes that a Celebration of Captain Hansen’s life will be held Saturday,
January 11, 2014 at the The Museum of Flight in Seattle at 1 PM. http://www.museumofflight.org/
Thank you,
~ Carol
~ Carol
from the Jul 20 – Jul 26, 2000 issue
Best
of SeaTac ... City Life
BEST
MAYOR:
Frank
Hansen, SeaTac's first mayor, is still considered our best. Hansen has won Best
Mayor for as long as SeaTacians have been sending in Best of SeaTac ballots.
Hansen, a retired airline pilot, compares early SeaTac politics to the Wild
West. Anybody could get things done in that free-for-all environment, he says,
given enough git-up-an'-go. And get things done Hansen did. Now 73, Hansen says
his campaign message against prostitution and drugs played well among besieged
SeaTacians. Funny thing is, Hansen almost got caught in his own net. He recalls
that while SeaTac was doing battle with the hooking trade, "I [once] saw this
pretty good-looking girl in a miniskirt, and I don't know why, but that old
Honda of mine just kinda slowed down. Then I recognized her as one of our
undercover police officers. I just waved at her and took off. Well, I saw that
same officer the next day. [She told me], 'Mr. Mayor, I'm glad you didn't stop,
because KING 5 was filming me across the street.'"
---------------------------
The Alexander Eaglerock was one of a number of
airplanes built for civilian use to replace the dwindling supplies of World War
I surplus craft. Winging away from the Denver-based Alexander Aircraft
Corporation at "mile-high" altitudes, equipped with a Curtiss OX-5, 90
horsepower engine, the Eaglerock cruised at heights and speeds that many old and
weary warplanes couldn't reach anymore.
In 1925, the first Eaglerock bristled with new innovations such as a tail wheel
and wings that folded back for storage. When buyers didn't seem ready for such
"modern" gimmicks, a more conventional plane appeared in early 1926. The
Eaglerock is considered one of the first significant certificated aircraft, with
ATC (Approved Type Certificate) #7 assigned to the "Combo-wing" and ATC #8 to
the "Long-wing" version April 27, 1927.
Frank and Victor Hansen purchased this Eaglerock in 1977. "It was an almost
hopeless basket case," Victor says. "We probably wouldn't have restored the
plane if it hadn't been for Dad." Their father owned an Eaglerock in the 1920s.
He barnstormed with the plane until a crash left it in tatters. "He had no money
during the Great Depression," former mayor of the city of Seatac, Frank Hansen
relates, "So even though he loved the plane, he couldn't fix it." The Hansens,
with Bill Duncan, restored this Eaglerock in their father's honor.
------------------------
Dec. 18, 2013
This from Amy Hansen, Frank Hansen's
daughter .............
........ thanks to everyone for their
good wishes and concern. It's wonderful that after all these years, my dad still
has so many friends and supporters. As you may know, he has advanced stomach
cancer, which has metastasized to other organs. Given his age and the extent of
the cancer, his oncologist advised that there is no good treatment available.
They started hospice at the house last week.
Frank and his wife Janet are dealing
with this new reality in stride. He sleeps a lot and doesn't have much energy
for visits and phone calls, unfortunately. He does enjoy receiving cards and old
pictures from friends, so if anyone would like to send him mail the address
is:
3329 S. 194th
SeaTac, WA 98188
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