Morris Howard Hansen II

Morris Howard Hansen II (Morrie) was born in Washington D.C. to Morris and Mildred Hansen on November l8, 1937 and passed away after a long illness in Eagle, Idaho on August 6, 2022. His death preceded that of his remaining sibling, Evelyn, by four days. Morrie grew up in suburban Bethesda Maryland and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School where he lettered in football and basketball. After graduating he attended the University of Maryland for a year before joining the U.S. Navy. After basic training he was selected to train as a missile technician at the center in Dam Neck Virginia. Following training he was stationed at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico where he worked on developing and testing guided missile systems, including the Talos missile.

It was while he was at White Sands that he met and married the love of his life, Marilyn Miller, and enrolled in electrical engineering courses at New Mexico State University. Morrie and Marilyn welcomed their first child Michael at WSMR in the military hospital there. After Morrie’s enlistment he continued his education at NMSU, earning his BSEE in 1964. He was hired by Western Electric/Bell Labs and proceeded to train for their program in Winston Salem, N.C. The young family then moved to New Jersey for several months before being transferred to Vandenberg AFB in California. While living in nearby Santa Maria they welcomed their daughter Michele (Mitzi). After 2+ years at Vandenberg Morrie was hired by Lockheed Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale where he continued his career in missiles and space. He attended Santa Clara University and earned his MSEE while working at Lockheed. He retired in 1996 and they moved to Idaho where they made their home in Eagle. During the years from 2006 to 2010 Morrie and Marilyn spent the majority of their retirement each year at their home in The Villages in Florida where they enjoyed the active lifestyle there, made many friends, and welcomed friends and family who came to visit. While he was strong, Morrie was an avid golfer and The Villages provided an opportunity for daily golf amid the myriad of other activities. In Eagle he enjoyed golfing with the “Crew” at Eagle Hills Golf Course. He was a member of Eagle United Methodist Church.

While he was physically able, along with golf, Morrie enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and camping. For many years they owned RVs and traveled the US, Canada and Mexico. In Eagle they enjoyed their RV club, Gems of the Road, and took trips to many spots in Idaho, Oregon and Washington with the group. They also did international travel and his favorite was probably hiking in the Berner Oberland area of Switzerland. His favorite destination for leisure travel was Hawaii.

Morrie was preceded in death by their son Michael, his parents Morris and Mildred, and two siblings Jim and Kristine. He is survived by his wife Marilyn of almost 62 years, daughter Michele (Mitzi) Reina (husband Frank), three grandchildren and their spouses/partners, Joey (Sophie), Alyssa (David), Kaitlyn (Sam), and seven nieces and nephews.

His family and friends will cherish memories of his dry wit and dedication and deep love of friends and family. Private interment will be at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery, and a Celebration of Life will be at Eagle United Methodist Church, 651 N Eagle Road, on Saturday October 1 at 11 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to Eagle United Methodist Church in Eagle Idaho.