My Life . . . The Way I Remember It

 

INTODUCTION

I consider myself very blessed: I have had and continue to have many opportunities to grow and learn; I have a wonderful wife and children that are extremely supportive; and I have enjoyed great health--physically, mentally, and spiritually. Nevertheless, my life, like most people's, has had its downs that have forged me into a stronger more resilient human. I would like to share both my ups and downs with the readers of "My Life . . . The Way I Remember It."

HAPPY IN OREM

On November 8, 1964, I was born in Provo, Utah to Ramona Edna Rainwater Hansen and Russell Herman Hansen. My mother was born May 13, 1927 in Bennettsville, South Carolina and raised there. My father was born April 12, 1927 in Salt Lake City, Utah and raised in mostly Utah County. My mother joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as a 12-year old, and she went to Brigham Young University (BYU) at the age of 17 to go to college, where she met my father. My father had just returned from serving in the US Maritime Services during World War II as a radio operator and was also attending Brigham Young University. After my father served an LDS mission to the Southwest States Mission (mostly in New Mexico) and my mother served an LDS mission to the Southern States Mission (mostly in Florida), they were married in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple on June 29, 1949.

Russ and Ramona had 7 children of which I am the youngest. My siblings are Pennie, who is 15-years older than me; Grant, who is 14-years older than me; Mark, who is 12-years older than me; Tom, who is 11-years older than me; Gayle, who is 8-years older than me; and James, who is 6-years older than me. My parents had a family of 6 children in nine years, and then they had me. My brothers and sisters played a huge role in my childhood development.

When I was born, Orem was a small town with only a few stop lights and a few thousand people. It was made up mostly of orchards and relied heavily on the local steel mill for economic support. I spent the first 14 years of my life living in Orem, Utah. We lived at 336 North 750 East. Still to this day, there is something about being near the foot of Mount Timpanogos that makes me feel like I am home.

I have many, many fond memories of life on 750 East at home and socially, with numerous siblings and friends. My parents were kind and serious about my upbringing, but my siblings and friends helped with my training. For example, my sister Gayle taught me how to tie my shoes and my brother James taught me how to shave (obviously not on the same day). Some of my best friends, Duane and Dale Calder (brothers), taught me how to play baseball and swim. My mother taught me how to cook. My father taught me how to ski. My grandfather, Emil, taught me how to fish. Additionally, and most importantly, all of them spent a lot of time teaching me the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping me learn to apply it in my daily life to show kindness, patients, and love to those around me.

Tricycle to the high school

Burning down orchard

Underground Huts

Sleep overs and numerous friends and teacher in the Orem 42 nd ward

My father was an elementary school principal during my early years and also the Bishop of our LDS Ward (Orem 26th Ward). My father had been a representative to the state legislator, and before I started school, my father started his own business, Tour West. Tour West was a river running company and a travel agency. My father also became the school board president for the Alpine School District. I grew up admiring my father, who seemed to think that he could do anything that he set his mind to, and I wanted to be just like him.

I spent a lot of time tagging along with my father. I was able to go on many trips down rivers such as the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon at the age of five and the Salmon River in Idaho at the age of seven. I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon with my father several time; starting at age eight to Havasu and then to the Colorado River, and later down Hance Trail to the Colorado River and Thunder River and Tapetes Creek to the Colorado River. My father also was a pilot and had his own plane. We flew all over the southwest. My father often let me fly the plane, and although he never let me take off or land, he often turned the controls over to me for the entire flight and seemed to take joy in watching how excited I was about flying the plane.

At the age of eleven, I started running the rivers as an employee of Tour West during the summers. For the first few years, my parents would only let me go as a flunky (gopher) for my brother, Tom. Although I had a lot of good times with Tom, he was a tough task master, and I owe a lot of my strong work ethic to my brother, Tom, and to my farther, which I will describe later, during my farmer years after we moved to a farm south of Spanish Fork.

I later ran rivers with many other employees of Tour West and not just Tom. And in the end, I ran the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 33 times, the Main Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho 11 times, the Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River below Moab to Lake Powell 5 times, and Ladore and Split Mountain Canyons on the Green River twice. Additionally, I have hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 10 times. I mention this because spending my summer running rivers and hiking as a guide's assistant, wading on passengers and learning that the customer comes first, was a big part of my development and taught me a lot: service, work ethic, salesmanship, self confidence, etc.

When I was 12, my father decided that he wanted to produce a full length feature film. He co wrote and produced 2 Catch 2. He asked me to star in the film. I had a blast that summer. I enjoyed the acting, but being able to do your own stunts, such as hanging from helicopters and swimming through rapids was just about more than any 12-year old could ask for. We spent most of that summer on location shooting the movie in forests of Utah and Idaho. I was able to pet and work with many animals (bears, mountain lions, badgers, etc.). I had no idea at the time how blessed I was to be having such an experience at that age.

FRUSTRATED IN SPANISH FORK

At the age of 14, it was just me, my mother, and my father, because the rest of my siblings had moved out. We moved to a farm between Spanish Fork and Salem, Utah. We had a farm of about 40 acres, which was mostly alfalfa. We had about 30 sheep-pure breads, which were raised and sold as breeding stock. We had rabbits--about 100 working does, so about 400-500 rabbits at any given time. We raised the rabbits for fur and meet. We also had about a 200-tree orchard, which were mostly apples and peaches. I lived here until I went on an LDS mission to Madrid, Spain at age 19.

Living on the farm, I had chores before and after school, and for several hours each Saturday. People often ask me what I learn growing up on a farm, and I tell that that what I learned was simple-I learned that I did not want to be a farmer. I learned how to work, which was something that my father made sure to teach me, and I often would reflect on life on the farm whenever I was discouraged during my college years. I knew how tough a life as a blue collar worker would be, and it was the best motivation I could have ever had to stay in school and get a higher education.

Just after moving to Spanish Fork, during my first week of school in 9th grade, 2 Catch 2 released. There was only one movie theatre in Spanish Fork and only few in the valley. Anyway, 2 Catch 2 was shown at the theatre for several weeks, and it seemed like everyone in the Jr. High School went and saw the movie when word got out that I was in it. Other students knew who I was quickly because of this and it led to false level of popularity.

To be written . . . typical teenage frustrations, river running, wrestling, music, Spanish Fork High School, seminary, dating, father's death, etc.

SERVED IN SPAIN

To be written . . . MTC, Leganes/Mostoles/Fuenlabrada, Alcala de Henares, Gijon, companions, Carla, Juan, etc.

MARRIED IN JORDAN

To be written . . . dating, engagement, married--much too young, early marriage, AutoSource, Music Major, Little Caesars etc.

EDUCATED IN PROVO

To be written . . . Wymount Terrace, EET Major, CS Course Work, Signetics, USI, Mary and Alan work at WordPerfect , Andrew's Birth, High Counselor, etc.

LOST IN AMERICAN FORK

To be written . . . Christian's birth, WordPerfect, workaholic, willingly slip between the cracks, Nursery, first house, etc.

FOUND IN ALBUQUERQUE

To be written . . . WordPerfect/Novell, friends, being away from family, YM Pres., La Mirage, second house, etc.

ESTABLISHED IN OREM

To be written . . . friends, Joshua's birth, Novell/Corel, Intelogis, Campus Pipeline, SCT, Exec. Sec. to Bishop, Ward Mission Leader, Primary Teacher, third house, EMBA, etc.

SOLIDIFIED IN HOLLADAY

To be written . . . friends, Mary at the U, YM Pres., boys in high school, fourth house, SunGard, Symantec, High Counselor, Andrew on Mission, etc.