Bernard Q. Hanson, age 81 of Ashland, NE, died May 29, 2010 at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, NE. He was born in Colon, NE, September 11, 1928 to Merle and Mildred (Ecklund) Hanson. Bernie attended District #6 country school north of Memphis, NE through the eighth grade and went to Memphis Public School for his ninth and tenth grades. He lived in a boarding house in Wahoo and graduated from Wahoo High School while working at the Blue Star Packing House which processed chicken. On Aug. 17, 1952, Bernie married Alice Wills at the First Christian Church in Ashland. They met while roller skating in downtown Ashland. They lived their first year in Ashland, moved to a farm north of Memphis and then to a farm two miles north of Ashland where they lived for 25 years. In 1983, they moved to a farm north of Memphis which has been Bernie’s home ever since. Through all these years, Bernie had a cow/calf operation and was a grain farmer. He loved his cattle and farming. Bernie also worked at the Ashland Sale Barn and the Wahoo Sale Barn. Bernie was a member of the First Christian Church and a long time member of the Saunders County Livestock Association, serving as the director from 1986 to 1993. He had also been a member of the Ashland Saddle Club in years past.

Bernie is survived by children and spouses, Dennis and Judy Hanson, Raymond, NE, JoLynne and Bob Newsham, Ashland, NE, Mark and Connie Hanson, Wayne, NE; grandchildren, Sarah and Whitney Newsham, Jennifer and Nate Hanson; brothers and sisters in law, Daryl and LaVaughn Hanson, Ashland, Donald and Darlene Hanson, Wahoo, NE, Larry and LaJean Hanson, Waverly, IA; brother in law Carl (Darlene) Wills, Lincoln, NE; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Alice, son Gary, grandson Jason and sister Darlene Christensen.