JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Lyle Hanson, passed away December 23rd in Jamestown at the age of 85.

Hanson was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1979 and served 34 years, 16 of those years as the House Caucus Chairman. While serving in the legislature he was on the Education and Natural Resources Committees. In 1981 and 2003 he received the ND Wildlife Federation Legislative Conservationist of the Year Award.

Hanson was born in Sargent County. He received his master’s degree in Educational Administration from the Moorhead State University. He started his teaching and coaching career in Garrison, ND and eventually moved to Jamestown and taught history at Jamestown Public Schools. While in Jamestown he was the head track coach and had numerous state records, individual and relay state champions and some of them still hold school records. He was also a basketball referee for over 25 years and is in the North Dakota Officials Hall of Fame. In 2019 Lyle was inducted to the Jamestown High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

U.S. Senate John Hoeven released a statement praising the life of Hanson, “Representative Hanson was an active member of his community and a devoted public servant for our state. He will be remembered for his long service as a state legislator, his work as an educator, his contributions to local athletics and his broad volunteerism. Notably, I appreciate his advocacy for North Dakota’s beautiful outdoors and his passion as a sportsman, priorities we shared.”

A private family memorial service will be held for Lyle Hanson at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 30 at the Eddy Funeral Home.