H.A. Hansen's Send Off

Mark McGee, H.A. and Parks Groover.

Bell Reunion

We went to H. A. Hansen's Memorial today.  He died May the 2nd. 

A lot of old friends came and a lot of people I did not know came.  

H. A. had left a trail of plenty of stories.  I don't remember it but Brad Martins does - Coach Bill Lundy and H. A. had a boxing match.  I don't think they could stand each other, in appearances H. A. stood for everything Lundy didn't, and I'm sure it was likewise, so apparently they took out their frustrations on each other.

I remember H. A. told Larry Bradford and I that he sung professionally at the Silver Slipper Lounge in Atlanta.  He imitated Elvis, not only singing like Elvis but also dressing like Elvis, hair, talking like Elvis with  a snarled smile like Elvis... the works!  He was Elvis!  I think if Elvis showed up at the Silver Slipper he (Elvis) would be booed off stage and would have been the target for some rotten fruit missiles.

One story about H.A. that was floating around in high school was one Saturday at the  Past Time Grill and Pool Hall H.A. put up his family's weekly grocery money and lost it all playing pool.

H.A. was game.  Whatever you wanted to do, H.A. was game.  Judging  recently from his Facebooks "likes"  he enjoyed life as much as he could in the VA hospital. 

Speaking of Facebook, many times when I put up a picture on my page of somebody we both knew and grew up with H.A. would copy it and shared it.  I think he enjoyed keeping up with his old friends.

Unfortunately, today at the ending Military ceremony  H.A.'s brother Harry, probably exhausted, collapsed. 911 was called.  I know it was serious, but the emergency medic crew was shooed out until the military ceremony was completed.  I'm sure Harry wanted to see it through, so I don't think time was the essence to get him to the hospital  Harry wanted to see his dear brother get the proper send-off.