Charles W. Hanna

Charles (Chuck) Weldon Hanna passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the age of 94. He lived most of his life in Emporia, KS.

He was born November 2, 1928, in Wichita, KS to Weldon and Alberta Ott Hanna. He is survived by his children, Martin W. and wife, Donna Hanna of Lawrence; Nanette J. and Terry Westbrook; of Treasure Island, FL; and James C. and Stefanie Hanna; of Ozawkie and his sister, Jane Hanna Reeble; of Emporia; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Doris Ann Hanna, in 2017. After moving to the Presbyterian Manor in 2019, he enjoyed the company of special friend Mary Lou Wagoner.

His parents and family moved to Emporia, and he attended Emporia schools and graduated from Emporia High School. He attended Emporia State University for two years, where he was a member of the tennis team and then transferred to the University of Kansas where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. While attending college he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity at ESU and the Sigma Nu Fraternity at KU.

After college he worked for the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka as a switch operator while waiting to be inducted into the US Army. It was during that time that he met Doris Ann Minich and on his first leave from the Army they were married.

He subsequently attended Anti-Aircraft Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Bliss, Texas and after graduation served as an Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery Commander in the San Francisco area during the Korean War. He was designated a First Lieutenant after 3 years in the Army.

After discharge from the Army, he worked for an insurance company in Kansas City for five years. They then moved to Emporia where he joined the Anderson Insurance Agency, where he became co-owner, along with his partner, Gene White. His insurance career included obtaining the professional designation; C.P.C.U (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) and serving as President of the Kansas Chapter of CPCU and as President of the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents. He retired in 1994.

He has been involved in many activities. One of his first activities was serving as Chairman of the Park Improvement Committee of the Citizens Advisory Committee. His committee located the current sites of Jones Park and the Emporia Municipal Golf Course. Those sites and plans were not adopted at that time but later became reality as a part of the Emporia Community.

Other activities include serving eight years on the Board of Education (2 years as President), President of the Emporia Kiwanis Club and member of the HI Noon Kiwanis Club, serving on the Board of the Emporia Community Foundation and as Vice President of the Trustees of the Emporia Community Foundation. He also served as Chairman of the Lyon County Republican Central Committee for six years and as a Precinct Committeeman for many years. He has served as President of the Emporia County Club and a Director of the Emporia State University Alumni Association and is a recipient of a Service Award from the latter. Other activities include membership in the Emporia Presbyterian Church and serving it as an Elder and as Co-Financial Administrator of their Mission and Building Fund. He was a member and Trustee of the Emporia Masonic Lodge, a member of the Emporia Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the American Legion.

He enjoyed attending Emporia High School, Emporia State and Kansas University athletic events, and playing golf and bridge. He was a Life Master of Duplicate Bridge. In the summers he and Doris enjoyed spending time in Estes Park, Colorado and being members of the Summer Resident Association of Estes Park.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. at the Emporia Presbyterian Church, immediately followed by the service at 11:00 A.M. conducted by Pastor Phyllis Stutzman. Interment with military honors by Ball-McColm Post #5 American Legion and Lowry-Funston Post #1980 Veterans of Foreign Wars will take place at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Emporia Community Foundation – Fund for the Future, Emporia Presbyterian Church, or ESU Foundation – Chuck and Doris Hanna Scholarship Fund. Contributions may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia KS 66801.