Marlene Sannes told the Spirit:

Three sons of the Louis “Louie” Hansen family joined in the memorial dedication honoring veterans, including their father and brother, Timm, at Guyant Park on August 2. In the back row (left to right) are: Mark, Linda, David, and Kyle Hansen. The middle row (left to right) contains Larry, Tonja, McCoy, and Janie Hansen. In the front of the group is Connor Hansen.

Louie Hansen served in World War II, enlisting in 1942. In his first tour, he served in the VMTB 131 Unit as a tail gunner in a dive bomber, likely a Douglas SBD Dauntless.

He returned to Amherst in 1945 and married Mary Guyant in May. He re-enlisted as a Marine carpenter, a much better assignment for a married man. He served the remainder of the war in the South Pacific.

Louie and Mary were life-long residents of the Town of Lanark where he was born. They had eight children who grew up on the home farm.

Timm, their second son, served in the Marines in Vietnam. Timm’s son, Jacob, completed a four-year tour with the Marines and Jacob’s son, Issac, enlisted in the Marines in 2024 and is currently stationed in Japan. Louie would be so proud of the legacy he created for his family and our country. He was a proud Marine and there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do!

Louie’s neighbor, the late Bill Anderson, said that Louie was the “best neighbor I ever had.”

The Hansen clan is Larry from Okauchee, Wisconsin;Timm from Eau Claire; Sam from Kennewick, Washington; Charlie from Plymouth; Judy from Grants Pass, Oregon; Dave and Randy from Waupaca; and Mark from Amherst.