Bernard M. “Bud” Hansen, 92, of Iowa City, died Friday morning, January 26, 2018 at Mercy Hospice in Iowa City.
Born November 14, 1925 and raised in the Independence, Iowa area, Bud moved to Iowa City in 1943 which was in his junior year of high school where he attended Iowa City High School. He received an honorary diploma signed by Governor Branstad in 2002.
Bud met Berniece Dorrell in Winterset in the summer of 1943 and they were married Jan 19, 1947. He recently celebrated 71 years of marriage with his wife, “BC”. Bud served in the US Army 1944-1946. He fought in WWII’s Battle of the Bulge as a Sergeant in the “Lucky 7” Seventh Armored Division. His unit opened and liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. Some 50 years later, he had an improbable reunion with one of the few survivors of this death camp, Magda Herzberger, on April 14, 1994. Upon learning that she had married and moved to America settling in Dubuque, Iowa, Bud attended an event at Mt Mercy College in Cedar Rapids where she spoke about her horrific experience during the war as a then 19 year old. It was here that Magda met the young soldier who carried her out of the camp to save her life. Bud retraced his steps in the war throughout Germany and Belgium with his younger brother Jack in 2002. Bud and daughter, Soni flew on an Eastern Iowa Honor Flight to Washington DC with his fellow WWII veterans to see their memorials in September 2010.
Bud went to work for Means Brothers Grocery where he learned the meat cutting trade. He went on to work as a Meat Department Manager at Benner Tea Company in Iowa City which later became Giant Foods. In February of 1973 he helped open the original Hy-Vee store in Coralville, working in the meat department, until he retired from full time employment. He then went to work part time for the Waterfront Hy-Vee store in its meat department and fully retired in 2009.
Bud was a family man and stayed active coaching youth baseball when his son Mike played Little League and Babe Ruth, and he also enjoyed golfing and bowling. Bud and BC were loyal Hawkeye football and basketball fans and Bud also enjoyed attending Iowa men’s wrestling meets and baseball games as well as women’s softball games. He was an avid fan and supporter of City High football, wrestling, and baseball, and Iowa City West basketball.
Bud was a member of the Iowa City Moose Lodge and attended St. Andrew Presbyterian Church where he was a former Elder. He was a loving and giving Husband, Father, Brother, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Uncle and FriendSurvivors include his wife, Berniece “BC” and their children, Mike Hansen and Soni Harney, both of Iowa City and Sue Hansen of Fairfield; grandsons Brock (Heather) of La Crosse, WI and Drew (Sarah) of North Liberty; sisters Darlene Crow (Graham) of San Antonio, Texas, and Arlene Troyer of Coralville; great granddaughter, Nora Claire Harney of La Crosse, WI, sister-in-laws, Viva of Des Moines and Shirlee of Portland, OR, and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Mabel Hansen, sister Vona Willis, brothers Melvin and Jack, brothers-in-law Jack Willis and Carroll Troyer, and his son-in law, Phil Harney.
Memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice, 1025 Wade Street, Iowa City, Iowa, 52240 or The Veterans Liberty Center in Iowa City, 2116 S. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, Iowa, 52246.