Thomas D. Hanson

THOMAS "TOMMY" DALE HANSON of North Little Rock, Ark,, passed away Nov. 3, 2017. He was born Jan. 15, 1929, in Emporia, Kan,, to the late Theodore Hanson and Faye Vaughn Hanson. He grew up in Wichita, Kan, and attended Wichita State University, obtaining a sports letter for golf. Tommy obtained his Professional Golfers Association membership Sept. 16, 1955, and worked at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita. In 1955, Tommy married Betty Londeen and moved to Oklahoma for a short time while on the PGA tour. He settled with his family in Sherwood, Ark., where he worked as the Head Golf Pro for North Hills Country Club (now known as The Greens at North Hills) from June, 1962, through June, 1982. He then worked as the Head Pro for Pleasant Valley Country Club until his retirement. Leisure time didn't set well with Tommy, though, and he went back to work for Foxwood Country Club until he decided to retire for good. In March 1965, Tommy and four other golf pros became the founding members of the Arkansas PGA chapter of the South Central section. In 2000, Tommy was elected to the Senior Hall of Fame of the South Central section, and inducted into the Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame in 2005. His favorite claim to fame, however, was the exhibition game he won against Ben Hogan on July 11, 1954. He would often tell stories about meeting Babe Zaharias and playing a couple of rounds with the infamous Titanic Thompson. He was preceded in death by his sister, Almetta Hanson Glenn, and his parents. Tommy is survived by his wife, Betty June Londeen Hanson, three daughters, Donita Hanson Dupslaff and her husband Martin, Cheryl Hanson, Teresa Hanson Staples and her husband Rick, as well as four grandchildren, Jason Staples married to Tessa Owen Staples, Derrick Staples, Jon Staples, and Ashley Lipsmeyer Edmondson married to Brian Edmondson, and two great-grandchildren, Harper Staples and Sawyer Staples. Graveside service with Military Honors will be held at 2 p.m. Tues., Nov. 7, 2017, at Rest Hills Mausoleum, 7724 Landers Rd., North Little Rock, Ark., 72117. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.griffinleggettresthills.com.