Steinar R. Hansen

Aug 2, 1933 -

Sep 15, 2020

Steinar Hansen, 87, a longtime Anchorage resident passed away unexpectedly from a stroke on Sep 15, 2020.

Steinar was born to Bjarne Christian and Anna Sofie (Rynning) Hansen in Lillehammer, Norway in 1933. When he was three years old, the family moved to the west coast of Norway, eventually settling in Sjøholt where his father built a furniture factory. After high school, he attended business school at Ulvestad Handelsskole ('51-'52) in Aalesund. In 1953, he attended the Göteborgs Tekniska Institut in Sweden where he majored in construction engineering. From 1956-57 he served in the Norwegian military.

Steinar came to Alaska in 1960 and planned to stay for one year. Six months later he arranged for his girlfriend, Reidun, to join him and they were married at the old Central Lutheran Church in downtown Anchorage on Aug 5, 1961. They decided to stay and build their life in Alaska. Steinar reupholstered furniture before starting his job at Standard Oil where he worked for nine years while starting a family. They had two children, Bjarne Johan 1964 and Anita Michelle 1969. In 1970, Steinar started building custom homes. During his building career, he built over 50 new homes around Anchorage and many remodels. He was forced to retire when his wife, Reidun, developed dementia. Steinar cared for Reidun for 12 years before she moved to a nursing home in 2011 where he visited her every day.

In retirement, Steinar became an avid woodturner specializing in Alaskan birch bowls, rolling pins and birch wood boxes in the traditional Norwegian style. He enjoyed selling his work at the annual Sons of Norway Bazaar. He also spent much of his time at the family cabin on Hourglass Lake, always finding a new project to work on and spending time with family and friends.

Steinar was a life member of the Sons of Norway Bernt Balchen Lodge 2-46. He joined the lodge in 1962 and it was an important part of his life. The people he met there became lifelong friends who were always there for each other. Steinar served in many roles over the years. He was lodge president 1967-69, general contractor during the building of Viking Hall, provided years of general maintenance for the hall and volunteered at many events.

In 2015, Steinar received the Bridge Builders of Anchorage Excellence in Community Service Award and in 2017, he received the King Olav V Medal from His Majesty King Harald V for his contributions to Norwegian culture and community.

Steinar was a member of Central Lutheran Church, the Pioneers of Alaska and former member of the Alaska Woodturners Association.

Steinar was preceded in death by his parents, Bjarne and Anna Hansen; siblings, Inger (Ivar) Lillebø and Arnt Hansen.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Reidun Hansen; his children, Bjarne (Jacqueline) Hansen and Anita (Lloyd) Persson; his grandchildren, Vivian and Melissa Hansen, and Hanna and Sevrin Persson; and extended family in Norway and Alaska.

Memorial donations can be made to Sons of Norway, Anchorage Viking Hall Fund or Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska.

A memorial for Steinar will be held in 2021.