Merle M. Hanson

The funeral for Merle M. Hanson will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Autumn Ridge Church in the Timothy Chapel in Rochester, with C. John Steer, Senior Pastor officiating. Burial will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens in Rochester. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church.

Mr. Hanson, 90, of Rochester, Minnesota died Sunday, April 24, 2011 at Seasons Hospice.

Merle was born April 14, 1921 to Marcus and Nellie Hanson of Osage, IA. He graduated from Osage High School in 1939 and attended the University of Minnesota. College was interrupted and then mingled with his Army service from 1942 to 1951; graduating from the U of M in 1954 with a degree in Pharmacy. He married H. Minerva Hanson on December 7, 1950 while serving in Williamsburg, VA. Upon graduation from the U of M, Merle and Minerva moved to Rochester in 1954 where he joined Weber and Judd Drug Company as a pharmacist. Merle worked at Weber and Judd for 20 years prior to joining the pharmacy at Mayo Rochester Methodist Hospital in 1974.  He retired from RMH in October of 1989. Merle was an active member of Autumn Ridge Church (formerly First Baptist Church) with a special passion for prayer and foreign missions.

Survivors include his wife, Minerva, son, Gary, and daughter-in-law, Joy, of Plymouth, MN, granddaughter, Alyssa, of Falcon Heights, MN, and grandson, Marc, of Plymouth, MN.

Merle had a passion for his family, especially, his grandchildren, his church and his work as a pharmacist.

Memorials are preferred to Autumn Ridge Church of Rochester world missions' fund.