Mark Hansen

Mark McLennan Hansen

Mark McLennen Hansen, 84, graduated from this mortal existence peacefully on Sunday, Sept 12, 2021.  Mark was born on Feb 10, 1937, to Rowland Mark and Mabel Alexandria Hansen in Ogden, Utah.  He grew up in Ogden and Santa Rosa CA, the second of five children. Life growing up for him was not easy and he had a lot of responsibility at times to care for and raise his younger brothers. He grew up early in his young life and vowed that when he had a family, he would try and raise his children better than he had been raised.

He found a passion for fast cars early on in his life.  He was hot rodding cars in his early adult life. In his late 20’s he began to drag race.  He ended up racing a 32 Ford and then a 39 Willeys.  He held and broke many records during his racing days. After a harrowing experience when he wheelied the Willeys in a race, he looked at his young family and realized he needed to stop drag racing before he died in a race, so he sold the car. In retirement, he purchased a 40 Ford Deluxe Coupe and named her “Old Betty.”  He bought the car with the intention to have a car to tinker with, but just like dad, ended up restoring almost all of the car.  Just like in his racing days, he won many awards at car shows up and down the Wasatch front.  He also made many lasting friendships at these car shows.

Mark was an entrepreneur.  He owned Mark Hansen Chevron service station in Clearfield, drove a Peterbilt semi while running the service station, and after selling the semi and service station, bought REM company.  He later changed the name to Marshon and sold laundry detergent supplies.  Once again, he made many lasting relationships with the people he met in all of these businesses.

After selling Marshon, he went to work at Hill Air Force Base.  He was a project manager for many years in different divisions. He loved his work, and his supervisors loved the way Mark could organize the hardest things and simplify the most complex tasks.  If there were full bird colonels coming in to tour the base, Mark was the one who was assigned to take them on tours. He and mom retired from the base in Jan 2001. Mark served for 10 years in the Utah National Guard.

Mark loved to tinker.  No project was ever too small or big for him. If he got stuck on something, he would set it aside and mull it over in his head till he figured out how to fix it or make it. With that love of using his hands, he and mom bought a cabin kit and with the help of Charlie McBride and his father-in-law, Sam Scoffield, built the cabin at Bear Lake. This cabin became a refuge for dad during some very hard days in business. The family has fond memories of time spent at the cabin. He had a hand in many other projects including landscaping multiple houses, finishing basements in multiple houses, and being able to fix anything that you took to him.

He also found a love for tinkering with clocks, building new clocks, and making beautiful rockers.

With a life skill of never being afraid to try something new, Mark spent many hours over many years operating a ham radio. He talked with people all over the world and enjoyed that time to get to know other people and make those contacts. He enjoyed the challenge of building antennas.  Once again, he made lasting relationships from the people he met and interacted with.

Mark had a passion for being outdoors most of his life. He spent many nights coyote hunting in the west desert of Utah. He went deer hunting with his father-in-law. And later in life, he started fishing.  He settled on fishing from a boat and had many adventures fishing with mom all over Utah, Idaho, and Montana. He loved to just sit on the back bumper or in his camp chair and enjoy being outside.

Mark never finished high school and instilled in his children, the need for an education beyond high school. He always said he never could figure out how he as a high school dropout could ever have been so lucky to do what he did in his life for work.  He was very pleased when all four of us received bachelor’s degrees and two received master’s degrees. He has many grandchildren who have done the same.

Mark spent many hours watching television, but not just any tv show. He would spend his time watching Nature and National Geographic and shows that took him on adventures in which he never had to leave the couch.

Mark was married at a young age to Darlene Adams.  They were later divorced.  He then met Shauna Scoffield at Hill Air Force Base during his first time working there. They dated and on April 9, 1966, were married in Las Vegas, NV. Later they and their children were sealed in the Ogden temple. They were each other’s best friend and spent countless hours together.  They were blessed to drive to work together at the base. He and mom had just celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

After moving to East Layton in 1978, Dad met Lee Parkinson, who was a neighbor.  They built a lasting and eternal friendship in which Lee was able to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to Dad.  Dad went through a lot of missionaries but finally made the decision to be baptized.  Dad had opportunities to serve in the church in Scouting.  While not always being an active member, Dad always supported his children’s and mom’s decisions to serve in the church. While at times that service was hard, he never complained about it and always helped with that support.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Rowland & Mabel; a stepmother, Mable; a sister, Rowlene; a brother, Jerome; sister-in-law, Connie; father-in-law Sam and mother-in-law Ethel. He is survived by his wife, Shauna, his children, Kurt (Vicky), Julianne (Chris), Sarah (Chris), Sam (Liz) 21 grandchildren and grandchildren in laws and 15 great grandchildren, his brothers John (Verla), Jim (Christine), brother-in-law, Gary (Kay) and sister-in-law, Susan (David).

The family would like to thank with grateful hearts Amanda, Allie, and Melissa from Tender Care Hospice that were so kind and caring with Dad.  We would also like to thank the kind and dedicated staff at Sunridge Assisted Living, especially those who in his last days of his life, made sure his care was above and beyond what was expected.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit with family from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at the mortuary.

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton.

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed at www.lindquistmortuary.com by scrolling to the bottom of Mark’s obituary page.

Whenever in your life you are sad at his passing or facing a big obstacle, just remember the great advice Mark would have for you- “Just get it behind you.” Love you Dad.

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