Dale Hanson, 74, Captiva Island, Fla.

Published 9:36 am Friday, October 11, 2013

Dale Sven Hanson died on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, from surgical complications. He would have been 75 years old on Nov. 10. With Dale when he died were his devoted wife, Elizabeth (Libby) Dickinson, and his son, Dr. Tim Hanson. Dale was a resident of Sanibel Island, Fla., and he spent portions of the summer in Bay Harbor, Mich., and St. Paul, which was his home state until retirement.

Dale Hanson

Dale lived a vital, adventurous and fun life, right up until his death. A former commodore of the Captiva Island Yacht Club, he was a lifelong and passionate boater. In recent years, Dale and Libby discovered touring by motor coach throughout the United States. Most of all, Dale found special joy in being a husband, father and grandfather and in his many friendships.

Dale was a graduate of Albert Lea High School in Albert Lea, and was recently awarded its Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1960, he was graduated from Carleton College in Northfield with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. Dale served with the Minnesota Army National Guard from 1962 through 1968, completing his service as a First Lieutenant.

For more than 25 years, Dale was employed by US Bank and its predecessors. He was president and a director of First National Bank of St. Paul and later an executive vice president of First Bank System. While with First Bank System, Dale became a director of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. in Eden Prairie. When Dale retired from First Bank System, he joined C.H. Robinson full-time as a vice president of finance. Dale retired from C.H. Robinson in 2000.

Dale was active in corporate, civic and charitable boards throughout his life, most notably: Edwards Manufacturing Co. (a family business in Albert Lea), Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul United Way, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, St. Paul Council of Arts and Sciences, Twin Cities Public Television, Somerset Country Club, Captiva Island Yacht Club, The Sanctuary Golf Club and BIG Arts. He also was appointed by St. Paul Mayor George Latimer to chair the St. Paul Riverfront Development Corporation. Dale and Libby loved their life together on Sanibel Island and supported the arts, marine research and education and the preservation of the natural beauty and wildlife of Sanibel and Captiva islands.

Dale is survived by his wife, Libby; brother, Kim Hanson and wife Alice Demo Hanson; son Tom (Tucker) Hanson, wife Beth Kubik and children Lizzy, Ben and Caroline; son, Tim Hanson, wife Mimi and children Tea and Lars; step-daughter, Debbi D. Kelly, husband John and children Jack and Julia; and his first wife, Joan Benton Hanson.

In memory of the life of Dale Hanson, donations may be made to the Hanson Ethics Fellowship at Carleton College, One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057. Dale and Libby were founders of this program, which recently was described by the president of Carleton as “a special, distinctive and important feature of Carlton’s profile . . . [and] something rare and valuable.”

Celebrations of Dale’s life will be at 4 p.m. Nov. 10 at Chapel by the Sea on Captiva Island, Fla., and in the spring of 2014 (date to be announced) at the House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul.