Kenneth L. Hanson

Kenneth Lewis Hanson, 75, of 940 Elk St., Franklin, died at 5:37 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at UPMC Northwest, Seneca.
He was born in Bloomington, Illinois on November 13, 1934, a son of Melvin A. and Sylvia Green Hanson. He graduated from Bloomington High School and in 1957 he graduated from Northwestern University. He received a Master of Science degree from Yale University and a PhD from Penn State University at State College, PA.
Mr. Hanson was employed by Monsanto in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Swift & Company and Amoco Corporation in Chicago as a chemical engineer, retiring from the latter in 1991.
He was an active member of the Grace Church in Hinsdale, Illinois where he was warden and after moving to Franklin he served on City Council for 12 years. He was also a member of the Library Board, the Shade Tree Commission and the Venango County Historical Society.
He was Treasurer of the Historic Franklin Preservation Association for a number of years. He and his wife Joan compiled a number of source books concerning the Venango County records.
He married the former Joan Nesbit Search on June 29, 1957, she survives along with a daughter Amanda Gambony of Franklin.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son John Hanson in 1995, a brother, Gerald Hanson; son-in-law Randy L. Gambony; step-mother Mildred Lierman Hanson.
Friends will be received in the Huff Chapel, 312 W. Park St., Franklin on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m.
A funeral service will be conducted in St. John?s Episcopal Church in Franklin on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with Father Brian Reid officiating.
Interment will be made in the Franklin Cemetery.
The family suggests that donations be made to the Venango County Humane Society, PO Box 1045, Oil city, PA 16301, the Venango County Historical Society, 301 South Park St., Franklin, 16323 or St. John?s Episcopal Church, 1145 Buffalo St., Franklin, PA 16323.