Lawrence Hanson
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Lawrence Louis Hanson II, 69, of Mabank, Texas, passed away peacefully on the morning of January 7, 2022, at his home on Cedar Creek Lake following a months-long battle with cancer.
Larry was born on March 10, 1952, to Larry Sr. and Myrtle Mae Hanson in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Being devout Catholics and following a number of unsuccessful pregnancies, Larry was born relatively late in his parents' life. Undoubtedly to his parents at the time and throughout Larry's childhood, this "miracle child" was surely destined for the Catholic priesthood. However, life had other things in store for Larry, including graduation from Bishop McGuinness High School and then on to the University of Oklahoma (OU), where he graduated and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Lucky for Larry - and he was always the first to admit that he was lucky in life - his freshman year at OU he had the occasion to go on a double-date to meet some high school seniors with a fraternity brother in Dallas one weekend. It was on that double-date in Dallas that he met the love of his life and wife of almost 50 years, Deborah Lynn Madera. Debbie joined Larry at OU, and following Larry's graduation from OU in 1973, Larry and Debbie moved to Dallas, Texas to start their family and for Larry to begin his career collaborating with another important person in his life, Debbie's father, Jack Madera, at Mid-States Services, a vending and food service business, as a route driver.
To Larry Hanson, nothing, absolutely nothing, was more important than family. Following his marriage to Debbie in 1973, the family grew - first with the birth of Benjamin Michael in 1975, followed 15 months later by the birth of Brian Andrew. Larry was always determined to provide for his family and give them the life he felt they deserved, and he carried those hopes and dreams out perfectly.
Second only to family was work. Larry progressed through the ranks at Mid-States - route driver to sales and ultimately into leadership - and was named President of Mid-States in his early thirties. Mid-States grew significantly during the 1980s and 1990s and was eventually sold in 1999.
In 2003, Larry struck out on his own with tremendous entrepreneurial verve and started Correctional Food Services. Focused on unparalleled customer service, Larry started with a single account in Ellis County, Texas in 2003 and quickly grew the business by focusing on providing a high-touch, technology-forward solution to his correctional industry customers. Part of Larry's long-held professional dream was fulfilled in 2005 when Brian joined him in the business. Together as father and son and business partners, the company continued to flourish, expanding the business from Texas to Louisiana, and then on to Oklahoma and Arizona at its peak. Completing Larry's long-held dream of an entirely family-run business, Ben joined the family business in 2017.
Everyone who knew Larry knew that he was an extremely kind, loving, resilient and giving person, and that he loved his family very much. Larry is survived by his loving, devoted and incredible wife, Debbie; sons and daughters in law, Ben and Kristen Hanson of Austin Texas, and Brian and Cindy Hanson of Dallas, Texas; grandsons, Jackson Benjamin and Harrison Vaughan of Austin, Texas, and Owen Andrew and Wyatt Ellis of Dallas, Texas; granddaughters, Hardin Lea and Kennedy Jane of Austin, Texas; and faithful duck hunting and fishing canine companion, Beaux. Larry will forever be in all of their hearts and missed each day. We know that he was proud of, and filled with pride for, each of them.
There will be a memorial service for Larry on January 15, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Edwards Catholic Church located at 800 East Tyler Street, Athens, Texas 75751. Honorary pallbearers for the memorial service include Former Sheriff Ray Stewart, Former Sheriff Mark Hebert, Allen Biggs, John Cook, Keith Landine, Chief Deputy Terry Ogden, Bobby Rhyne and Jesus Tovar. A celebration of life get-together will follow the memorial service at 1:30 p.m. at W Four Fifty Six located at 456 South Gun Barrel Lane, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75156.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home family.