Billy Lawrence Hansen, the son of Curtis and Blanche (Novak) Hansen, was born March 25, 1944, in Republic, Kansas, and passed away May 18, 2026, at the Belleville Health Care Center at the age of eighty-two.
Billy attended Belleville Public Schools and graduated from Belleville High School with the Class of 1962, where he was active in FFA and football.
On July 30, 1967, Billy married Merry Jo James, and together they raised six children: Gregory, Karen, Rosemerry, Joelle, Cortney, and Phillip.
Billy spent his life farming and ranching, devoted to the land, his cattle, and the way of life he loved. On most sale days, you could find him up top at the sale barn, a bottle of RC with peanuts nearby, watching cattle move through the ring. He was never in a hurry to leave and was often the last one there when the sale ended. That was Billy-steady, loyal, and never quite ready to call it a day.
He was a lifelong stockman and farmer who worked on the family farm his entire life and was a member of the Kansas Cattle Association, as well as a past member of the Kansas Pork Producers and Kansas Sheep Producers Associations.
But more than anything, Billy loved his family. If he knew his kids or grandkids had an activity, he would do his best to be there whether it was football, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball, softball, or watching livestock shows at the fair.
And if any of the kids needed someone to watch the grandkids, Billy was always willing if the car seat was loaded in the back because they were going to spend the day circling the countryside checking on the cows with Grandpa. His grandchildren cherished those long "check cow" drives and the simple time spent beside him. To them, Grandpa's pickup was never just a pickup it was where stories were told, lessons were learned, and memories were made.
Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Curtis and Blanche Hansen; brother Joe Hansen; daughter Cortney Hansen-Hatesohl; and Aunt Isabel Hansen.
He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Gregory (Kristi) Hansen of Olathe, KS; Karen Hansen of Belleville, KS; Rosemerry (Mark) Crubel of St. George, KS; Joelle (Matt) McCormick of Ennis, TX; and Phillip (Jessie) Hansen of Belleville, KS; brothers Dennis (Melba) Hansen of Belleville, KS, Randy (Marcia) Hansen of Belleville, KS, and Larry (Sally) Hansen of Alliance, NE; sister Joyce Hansen of Belleville, KS; grandchildren Gavin and Kaden Hansen; Ethan, Anthony, and Trevor Crubel; Zoey and Oliver McCormick, Alexander Hansen; along with many nieces, nephews, neighbors, sale barn friends, and lifelong friends.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Bachelor-Surber Funeral Home with inurnment to follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Meadowlark Hospice or directly to the family, to be designated later.
Online condolences may be left at www.bachelor-surber.com
"The sale has ended, Dad. It is time to go home."