Obituary of Douglas R. Hansen

Douglas R. Hansen died Friday morning at his home in Wurtsboro Hills. Douglas was a great man to many and loved by all. He was born December 29, 1936 in Bay Ridge Brooklyn to Dorothy and Reidar Hansen and was one of four sons. Douglas served in the army at the end of the Korean war and was stationed in Germany. He married his sweetheart Eleanor Knudsen who he met at Camp Norge and they moved up to Purling NY with his two young daughters Dolores and Barbara. Doug was an avid hunter and fisherman with deer, moose, and fox trophies. Later in life he loved the wildlife in Wurtsboro and fed the birds and built them numerous birdhouses, including the condo he named the "Notel-hotel" where he said the bluebird named Wacko fathered many baby Wacko bluebirds. Doug started a construction and developing business at the age of 22 with his partner from Brooklyn John Canale called Canale & Hansen. One of the homes he built was the Hansen family's beloved home on Canale-Hansen Drive, a mid-century modern ranch built with rocks and stones from the land it stood on. The Hansen family moved to Catskill, NY when 8 years later Doug started a very successful business, Catskill Kitchen Designs just on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge Approach. Doug and Eleanor moved to Wurtsboro NY in 1987, where he transformed a shack whose foundation was collapsing into a bucolic cottage with shingles and a hand hewed tongue and groove wood pine ceiling, on beautifully landscaped property lovingly called the "Estate" by the family. Doug worked as a construction supervisor for Wallbridge on projects at Stewart Airforce base to house the C5-12 Galaxy large transport airplanes under the Reagan Administration, and Woodbury Commons. Doug and Eleanor had a winter place in West Palm Beach where Doug supervised the construction of a multi-million, new complex for the 24 mega theater Egyptian themed known as Muvico in Davie, Florida. Doug helped to bring this enormous project under budget and in schedule. While in Florida, Doug was also asked to pose for marketing photos at the Hard Rock Casino in Ft Lauderdale because of his rugged "Clint Eastwood" good looks! Doug is leaving his wife Eleanor Hansen whom he was married to for 60 years, his daughters Dolores Jansen, Barbara Sorensen, son-in-law Thor Sorensen and his pride and joy granddaughter Ashley Pickett. He also leaves his brothers Roger Hansen, Ronald Hansen, his cousin John Blewitt among many cousins, nieces and nephews. Doug was blessed with a best friend, Pete Rubino, whom he loved and enjoyed sharing stories of Wurtsboro birds and wildlife. Family and friends are invited to gather on Wednesday October 17, 2018 between 4pm-6pm at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro, NY. Interment of his ashes with military honors will be held on Thursday, October 18 at 11:00am at the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Sunset Lake Road in Liberty, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Abilities First www.abilitiesfirstny.org Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro. For additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com .