Russell Dale Mathias Hanten

Russell Dale Mathias Hanten was born in White Lake, South Dakota to Otto and Ida (Meier) Hanten on November 13, 1931, the 6th of 12 children. He moved to Mitchell, S.D. in 1945, and was raised by his mother. He dropped out of school when he was a sophomore to help support his family. One of his jobs was setting up pins at the bowling alley. He enjoyed going to dances, and helped his mom with her huge garden. Russ married Charlotte Masten in Mitchell in February 1953, and to this union, four children were born: Cheryl, Rodger, Karen, and Glenn. Russ was enlisted in the Army from July 1952 until July 1954, spending time in Korea until he was honorably discharged after suffering an ear injury. Following his stint in the Army, the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Russ worked at Vickers Hydraulics. After Vickers, he worked for Brinlee Home Improvement, and later went on his own siding houses and doing other carpentry work. He was very handy and could figure out how to do about anything (he once said he would have liked to have been an engineer). He built his own home in the Bennington area in 1970, and did almost all the work himself. After he retired, Russ spent a lot of his time making quilts and wooden bowls. He took great pride in everything he made, and was a perfectionist when crafting something. He was passionate about making quilts and bowls, and made around 80 quilts, and countless bowls and other wooden items. He made sure his children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters all had at least one of his quilts and bowls. When not in his shop or sewing room, Russ was outside in his garden, or outside doing something. In the summer, he always had some kind of vegetable garden planted. In the winter, Russ and his longtime companion, Joann Miller, would spend time at her home in Phoenix, where they had many friends. Russ was proud of his grandchildren, and loved getting pictures of them. Russ was always happy to see family, and got along great with his mother and siblings. He loved to spend time with his brothers and sisters and their families, and tried to travel to most of the weddings and anniversaries in South Dakota. When his siblings came to visit him, he always made sure they were fed and had a place to stay. Russ’s children all have many fond memories of camping trips, trips to Mitchell (home of the Corn Palace), going water skiing at DeSoto Bend in the summer, and sledding and skating at Omaha parks in the winter. He would flood their backyard to make an ice rink, and when sledding, he would pile all the kids on top of him on the sled and they would all fall off laughing before reaching the bottom of the hill. He taught his kids how to work hard and how satisfying it is to pull a weed (although they didn’t know it at the time). He will be greatly missed by his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brothers, and sisters. Russ died at the Hospice House in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at the age of 82 years, 2 months and 1 day. He was preceded in death by his fiancee’ Marie Hudson in 2001, and brothers and sister: Walter, Don and Sally. Russ is survived by sons: Rodger (Kristen) of Bennington and Glenn of Omaha, daughters: Cheryl (Gale) Sass of Bennington and Karen (Mike) Brodie of Omaha, grandchildren: Nikki Stallbaum, Natalie Sass, Shelby Sass, Dana Hanten, Courtney Hanten, Mathias Hanten, and Jacksen Hanten, great grandchildren: Bella, Will, and Colbie Stallbaum, longtime companion Joann Miller, and siblings: Marcella, Cecilia, Harold, Dorothy, Connie, Floyd, Carol, and Gene. Russell D. Hanten, age 82, of Bennington, died 1/14/14. Preceded in death by fiancee’ Marie Hudson, brothers and sister: Walter, Don & Sally. Survived by sons: Rodger (Kristen) of Bennington and Glenn of Omaha, daughters: Cheryl (Gale) Sass of Bennington and Karen (Mike) Brodie of Omaha, grandchildren: Nikki Stallbaum, Natalie and Shelby Sass, Dana, Courtney, Mathias, and Jacksen Hanten, great grandchildren: Bella, Will, and Colbie Stillbaum, longtime companion Joann Miller, and siblings: Marcella, Cecilia, Harold, Dorothy, Connie, Floyd, Carol, and Gene. Funeral service Saturday, 11 AM, St. John’s Lutheran, Bennington, with military honors. Private interment. Visitation Friday, Noon to 8 PM with family receiving friends from 6-8 PM at St. John’s Lutheran in Bennington. Memorials to the American Legion.

Russell Dale Mathias Hanten

November 13, 1931 - January 14, 2014