Rapid City - Wesley H. Hanson, 77, died Friday, October 16, 2009, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. Wesley Harold Hanson was born September 14, 1932, at Hettinger, North Dakota to Harold and Opal (Papka) Hanson of eastern Harding County where he grew to adulthood. He attended and completed his elementary education from the Jefferson School which was a one room country school house. He rode horseback the four miles to school and the winters were rough with the cold and snow. Wesley worked on various farms and ranches to pay for his secondary education at Buffalo, South Dakota. He started learning his lifelong skill of carpentry while working with his Uncle Vern Papka. He graduated from school in 1951 and continued his carpentry work until he was drafted into the Army in 1952. He completed his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and spent some time training in California. He spent the final four months of brutal fighting at the front lines in Korea before the Truce was signed. He spent a total of 16 months in Korea and received an honorable discharge from the Army in 1954. In June of 1956 Wesley was united in marriage to Violet Zimmerman Hagel. He worked for Kiewitt Construction at Ellsworth Air Base. In 1957 he went to work for Clark Construction on various road construction projects in Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota. In the spring of 1963 he started work for Fairmont Creamery and worked there for five years having advanced to dock foreman for the last 3 years. Wesleys first love was carpentry work so he went to work for Robbins and Stearns (R & S Construction) and worked there for 13 years. Most of his work was on Indian Reservations as a trim carpenter on various homes and schools and he was foreman in charge of the trim crew on the construction of West Hills Village. Violet passed away in July of 1983 and in 1985 Wesley married Florence Schmidt. They started their own business that year, (Quality Interiors) and with others trimmed several apartment complexes. After retirement he continued to trim custom homes. When Florence developed health problems, he took care of her for a year and a half until her passing in November of 2004. Wesley was a life member of Rapid City Elks # 1187, a 43 year member of the Rapid City Moose Lodge # 1137, and life member of the Rushmore VFW Post # 1273 and a life member of the American Legion Post 22. Survivors include 2 brothers, Leonard (Dyann) Hanson, Lodgepole, SD; Keith (Bonnie) Hanson, Reva, SD; 2 stepchildren, 4 stepgrandchildren, and 6 stepgreat-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Violet, his second wife Florence, and 1 stepdaughter. Visitation will be for 1 hour before services, which will be a 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 23, 2009, at Osheim and Schmidt Funeral Home with Rev. Herb Cleveland officiating. Burial with full Military Honors by the Rushmore VFW Post # 1273 and the South Dakota National Guard will be at 1:00 p.m. in the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. A memorial has been established.