Hanson, Robert Bob

29 Apr Hanson, Robert Bob

Fair Pioneer 

Robert Milton Hanson Quietly passed, at home on Friday, August 16, 2019. His wife, JoAnne passed in 2010. Bob is survived by his three married sons, John (Ann), Charles (Janet), and Timothy (Alicia), his five grandchildren and a great-grandson. Bob was born in Washington, DC. on April 27, 1924, as a member of the third generation of his family to live here, and the first member to be born in a hospital. His maternal grandfather founded E.G. Schafer, a plumbing supply business that dated in the family from around 1860. As a child, Bob recalled living in the family home that backed up to Rock Creek Park, cleaning the family stables, horseback riding, and flying model airplanes in DAR Constitution Hall. He attended Landon School in Bethesda where he was on the equestrian team, graduating in 1943. After his family moved to Mt Prospect Farm, near Gaithersburg, in 1941, Bob joined the local 4-H club and raised Berkshire hogs and Black Angus cattle. He became a 4-H Club Leader and with 15 others, served on the organizing committee in 1945 that helped form the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. Bob was voted into the 4-H All Stars, the highest recognition that a 4-H’er can achieve. During World War II the local Draft Board required Bob to stay on the farm, while his elder brother served in the Army in Africa and Italy. In 1945, Bob was selected as the President of Rural Youth of America, a national association of youth groups including 4-H and FFA. Bob remained active in farming in Montgomery County, cultivating hundreds of acres in the county and breeding cattle and hogs and completing his agricultural education at the University of Maryland. He married JoAnne Dingwell on September 7, 1950 , and shortly after, was called up to serve in the US Air Force as an intelligence officer during the Korean War. After returning from the Korean War, while continuing the farming, he joined Jones Kreeger & Co, a stock brokerage firm. During this time, Bob and JoAnne were raising three sons. Bob became active in the Rockville Rotary Club, served as its President in 1958-1959, served on the Board of the Metropolitan YMCA, and began serving on the American Automobile Association Mid-Atlantic Advisory Board, which he continued for over 30 years. As an Allied Member of the NYSE, a partner and manager of the Bethesda Branch of Jones Kreeger, he served on the Finance Committee of the Montgomery County Government and the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. While active with the County Historical Society, he is credited with arranging the acquisition of the property for the Rockville Civic Center. While serving on the Metropolitan YMCA Board as Secretary, he became one of the founding members of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA and served as its Chairman. In 1964, with other leaders, Bob championed the cause to integrate the Metropolitan Washington YMCA. This spring he spoke at the ribbon cutting of the completion of the first phase of the BCC YMCA’s expansion. For nine years, Bob served as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 8 in Bethesda Maryland, and then as Scoutmaster of the International Jamboree Troop 314 of the 13th World Jamboree in Japan. All three sons were members of Troop 8, as well as his nephews and many of his Sunday School students. He received the Silver Beaver Award from the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts for his leadership in Scouting and in the community. Bob is also credited with arranging for the acquisition of the land at the corner of Cedar Lane and Rockville Pike in Bethesda, for the Council Headquarters in 1968. He was registered as a Scout leader for many years, and opened the farm to use by Boy Scout and Girl Scouts units for over 75 years. Bob continued his activity in Rotary, was elected District Governor for 1982-1983 of District 7620, became an instructor of upcoming leaders and a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation. Bob achieved 52 consecutive years of perfect weekly attendance and participated in many of the Rotary International Conventions. After retiring from the brokerage business in 1986, Bob continued farming, caring for JoAnne’s horses, raising corn, wheat, and soy beans, Black Angus beef cattle, and hay, on Mt. Prospect Farm. He was active in the Men’s Garden Club of Montgomery County as well as the Montgomery County Farmers Club. Bob remained active, baling hay as recently as last Fall. Bob’s interest in showing and touring antique automobiles was shared with his older brother, Bill. Bob accumulated a stable of vehicles, including a 1915 Ford Model T, a 1940 Ford wooden station wagon, a 1971 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow sedan and a 1938 Lincoln limousine. It was the 1938 Lincoln that provided the most entertainment and joy to Bob. He regularly took this Lincoln on events with the Classic Car Club of America and the Antique Automobile Club of America. Perhaps the pinnacle of his antique automobile activities was attending the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2011 with the Lincoln. At this most prestigious car show, he received a Third Place trophy in his class and the Best Lincoln At Show trophy. He has served on several Montgomery County commissions, including the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Property Review Commission; the Montgomery County Rustic Roads Commission; and on the Advisory Committee of the Montgomery County Potomac Sub-Region Master Plan for 2000. Bob was an active member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Chevy Chase, including serving as First Reader, Sunday School teacher and several terms on the Board of Trustees. He enjoyed being an active member of many local clubs and organizations including The Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase and Columbia Country Club in addition to supporting JoAnne’s interest in horses, the Potomac Hunt and National Society of Arts & Letters. After JoAnne’s passing in 2010, Bob was joined in traveling and touring by their dear friend of 52 years, Jane Boynton, and by his sons.