Thomas Hanna

Thomas Hanna, Sr.

June 2, 1934 - May 7, 2023

The man. The myth. The legend. Men wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him. He was adored by his Grandma Julia, and as she often said, he could do no wrong. He worshipped his father Thomas Hanna and his Mother Catherine and spoke of them often. He was the ultimate optimist and believed that everything would turn out well and it usually did. Dad had the luck of the Irish. One could always recognize him by his booming laugh in which he earned the nickname Happy Hanna.

Tom Hanna was going to live to be 120, just ask anyone who knew him. He loved cars and received his first one at the age of nine from his dad. He also loved Hershey’s kisses, jewelry, good food (especially Gail’s Lasagna), shoes and clothes…he was THE sharp dressed man. Dad was a talented artist, whether it was working with clay, wood, paint, or colored pencil drawings…He was also a talented singer, growing up in the Catholic Church as an altar boy and singing in the choir.

Dad loved animals and as a child, he always brought home interesting pets, including an alligator which he kept in the bathtub. He also brought home a Shetland pony, named Linda, causing furious city officials to nix the idea. His many animals included Ricky the Racoon, dogs Pippin, Rugsie, Winston, Fonzie, Thunder, and his Persian cats.

He was a master craftsman at selling and he loved doing it. He could sell water to a fish. When his younger brother Michael was born, he sold tickets to the kids in the neighborhood to see his new baby brother. A real wheeler and dealer, he enjoyed finding unique items…whether it was a car, home, boat, horse, or an alligator.

Dad had a gift for telling hilarious stories and you could be sure 50% of every story was true. You just never knew which 50%. He loved music from Chicago, Urban Blues, and jazz and he was a great dancer winning many contests. In between his many adventures (flying planes, driving fast), he managed to own and run several businesses.

But his passion was family and traditions. He wanted the great American dream, and he lived it. He spoke often of wanting all of his kids to live under one roof like the Osmond Family. His eldest son and grandsons continue a legacy of nine generations of Thomas Hanna, and his love of cars. He was ‘Cadillac Man’.

His organizational skills and expectations of a clean house, car, and making beds (you could bounce a quarter off it) taught responsibility and good habits. Dad would have been a great general in the military.

Our favorite memories are of growing up in ‘The Bay,’ riding snowmobiles, water skiing, snow skiing, rides on the motorcycle/ATV, going on cross-county road trips in the motorhome, or just hanging out with each other. The best times together as a family were Sunday night dinners and afterwards having popcorn and ice cream while watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and Disney or playing board games. Fall was spent around the fire pit eating s’mores and telling stories.

Dad loved the ladies and charmed them with his infectious laugh, funny stories, and smile…ol’ blue eyes. He attracted more women than a bridal sale at Bloomingdale’s. He married two beautiful women, Marilyn at 19 and had his first five children - - Tommy, Dawn, Lisa, Mari, and Sean and later Gail, who became the bedrock of the family, raising us as her own, along with our siblings Kelly, Quinn, Brice, and Thorin.

As all his children moved into adulthood, we all lived an adventurous life, measuring virtually everything we did with the shadow he cast. We were amazed by him and realized he tried to teach us along the way. We didn’t always listen, but we heard.

We learned from his passionate opinions and watched as he took joy in seeing his grandchildren, great grandchildren – or any children as he got older. The best version of him that came to life was when he was around little kids. He loved their laughter, optimism, and dreams. Dad was the biggest dreamer of them all.

We learned that love lives on in the tiniest details. The words of love and encouragement that he sometimes had trouble expressing came out in his notes, letters, and in meaningful personal gifts. We may not have always understood each other, but we grew to respect and love each other. Turns out he was good at that. In the last chapter of his life, his edges had worn down a bit and he was more comfortable expressing affection.

Dad, we had one hell of a journey together, but we finished strong. As dad would say, “Naturally.”

Thomas is survived by his three siblings, Michael (Linda)Hanna, Kathleen (Richard) Fritsch, Dennis (Jane) Hanna; eleven nieces and nephews, his nine children, Thomas, Dawn, Lisa (Jeff), Mari (Michael), Sean, Kelly (Steve) Ellison, Quinn (Scott) Cretul, Brice, and Thorin (Lance) Langley; his eighteen grandchildren Thomas (Sarah), Dalton and Ryanne, Anthony, Jeffrey and Cassandra (Chance), Christina and Stephanie, Paige, Pierce, and Nicolas, Ryan, Delaney and Brayden, Dax and Fox, and Kanoa and Myla, and nine great-grandchildren, Aubrie, Ava and Alyvia, Kenzley and Addison, and Kalani, Khloe, Kelsi and Karli.

Please contact the family for Celebration of Life that will be held sometime this summer with details pending.