Growing up in Wisconsin, everyone called him Sonny. At age 16, his family moved to Utah, where he announced, “Please call me Marvin now.” Most settled on Marv. He’s had many names along the way. His first, Oldest Son to Jalmer and Norma, all the way to his latest, Great Grandpa. Dad outlasted all of his loving siblings: Lois, Eugene, Deanna, Steve and Terry. Thirty years ago, he said goodbye much too early to our mom, Ruth, who died with Parkinson’s. They met as teenagers, waited 2½ years through his LDS mission to Argentina, got married in the Logan temple, then brought six grateful children to life. Ten years ago he bravely ventured into online dating and found his wonderful wife, Jarucha. She loved and cared for him and made him delectable Thai dishes until the end.

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Dad preferred the title, Speech Therapist, for his profession. He had a PhD and was a Professor at the University of Utah in the Department of Communication Disorders for 35 years. He was honored as a Fellow in The American Speech and Hearing Association and authored seven, still widely used, text books in his field. In 1971, he co-founded The International Association of Orofacial Myology, and twice served as its President. His publishing list is too long to approach, over 90 articles. Dad always maintained a private practice and continued doing volunteer speech therapy long after retirement. Hundreds communicate better because of his direct help, including many cleft lip/palate-repair children all over the world from his more than 20 Operation Smile missions. And thousands have received speech help through the countless students he trained.

Here's an attempt to list his many other activities, none of which he took lightly: friend, doctor, singer, actor, tumbler, high school diving coach, ski patrolman, marathon runner, philanthropist, volunteer, merit badge counselor, lifeguard, bartender, bishopric member, golfer, department chair, water/snow skier, boater, pickle baller, camper, Ute fan, movie watcher, voracious reader, Scrabble player, crossword solver, daily exerciser, sun lover, cesspool pumper, cow milker, dessert eater, and his favorite self-description, professional conversation-starter.

Dad and Mom fell in love while singing and acting together in the Ogden 13th Ward. And look what their romance has wrought! At last count, 55 people belong to our family because of them. Dad passed away peacefully at his home on Memorial Day, May 26th, 2025, surrounded by his children: Rebecca (Michael Crowley), Hugh (Leslie), Joel, Paris (Shannon), Jane (Steve Moffat), and Tyler (Kristin). None of us could possibly count all of the times he has specifically said, “I love you.” We love you, Dad, and always will. Till We Meet Again.

A Celebration of Life for our father, Marvin Laverne Hanson, will be held on June 22nd between 2 and 4 pm at The Farmington South (Skate) Park, 1384 S 200 W Farmington, UT. Please drop by.