Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Hansen Erhart C 400524 p1
Long Illness Causes Suicide; Newman, May 23 -- (Special) -- Long months of illness which brought a complete nervous
break-down resulted In the death Tuesday evening of Erhart C. Hansen, assistant vice-president of the Bank of Newman
and a past commander of the local American Legion Post.  A self-inflicted gun-shot wound in his chest brought the relief
he felt medical science had been unable to achieve in spite of a delicate thyroid operation performed a few weeks go.
The tragedy which shocked the community evidently occurred about quarter after nine Tuesday night, for twas then that
neighbors recall having heard a sound that was probably the report of the 12-gauge shot-gun.  Mrs. Hansen had been
called a few moments before to briefly attend a meeting of the Girl Scout Committee on an urgent matter.  It is believed
that the gun was removed from its case almost as soon as she left.  A nail driven in the garage wall was used to discharge
the gun while its muzzle was firmly pressed against his left chest with both hands.
Absent on Return; When Mrs. Hansen returned shortly before 9:30 and found him absent, she assumed that he had gone
outside to enjoy his usual late evening stroll.  When he did not appear within a few moments, she became alarmed and
called their son, Bobby, to help her look for him.  It was the boy who found him lying by the garage.  Neighbors and Dr.
A. M. Roscoe were summoned, but to no avail, death had been instantaneous.
Funeral Friday; Funeral services are to he held on Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the Davis Chapel.  The local Masonic
Lodge, which Hansen had been a member since he was 21, will conduct rites in the chapel, while the American Legion
will officiate at the graveside in the Hills Ferry Masonic Cemetery. Beside his wife, Anita, he is survived by two children,
Shirley, who lives in Alameda, and Bobby.  His father, Andrew J. Hansen, resides in Aptos, where lives also his sister,
Mrs. Ann Day.  A brother, Akeel, is a resident of San Francisco. In addition to his associations with the Masonic Lodge
and American Legion, Hansen was active in many other community affairs.  He was a member of the Newman
Elementary School Board of Trustees and was serving on the local Boy Scout Troop committee.