Christian Hansen Jr.

Christian Hansen Jr. was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, on October 16, 1931, a son of Christian Hansen Sr. and Margaret Hansen.[1] He attended the schools of Fitchburg, and graduated from Fitchburg High School in 1949.[2] Hansen attended Fitchburg State University and Stevens Business College of Fitchburg.[3][4]

Hansen served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955 and attained the rank of staff sergeant.[1][5][6] He completed basic training at Sampson Air Force Base, New York, then carried out assignments at Lake City Air Force Station, Tennessee, and Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina.[7][8][9]

After his military service, Hansen resided in Leominster and was employed by New England Telephone and Telegraph Company (NET&T); beginning as a business office representative in the company's Fitchburg office in 1955, he became a sales representative in 1957, then a corporate communications consultant, followed in February 1965 by promotion to business office manager in St. Albans, Vermont.[10] In December 1965, Hansen was transferred to the business office manager's position at NET&T's office in Brattleboro.[11] While residing in St. Albans, Hansen served as a deputy sheriff for Franklin County, and after moving to Brattleboro, he was a Windham County deputy sheriff.[12]

Interested in politics as a Republican, in 1968 Hansen was active in the gubernatorial campaign of James L. Oakes.[13] Oakes lost the Republican nomination to Deane C. Davis, after which Hansen was active in the successful Davis campaign.[13] In March 1969, Hansen and his wife purchased a Brattleboro flower shop, Taylor for Flowers.[14]

As a result of Hansen's connections to the Republican Party, when Republican Richard Nixon assumed the presidency in January 1969, Hansen was considered for appointment as Vermont's United States Marshal.[13] Vermont's senior U.S. Senator, Republican George Aiken, considered Hansen and Howard P. Lunderville, a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Williston, and decided to recommend Hansen.[13] Nixon nominated Hansen in May 1969,[15] and he was confirmed in June.[16] After Nixon was reelected in 1972, he nominated Hansen for a second term, which was confirmed in October 1973.[17] He served until August 1977, when President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, nominated Earle B. McLaughlin, the sheriff of Chittenden County, to succeed Hansen.[18]

After leaving the Marshal's office, Hansen was the owner and operator of Avenue Grocery Store in Brattleboro.[1] In 1978, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Windham County assistant judge.[19] In 1980, he was the successful Republican nominee to succeed Timothy J. O'Connor as the Windham 4-3 district member in the Vermont House of Representatives.[20] Hansen served in the House from January 7, 1981 to April 22, 1982, and was succeeded by Dart W. Everett.[21]

In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan won the presidency and in December 1981 he appointed Hansen to succeed Earle McLaughlin as Vermont's U.S. Marshal.[22] He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 1982[23] and was sworn in on April 26.[24]

During his second tenure as Marshal, Hansen relocated from Brattleboro to South Burlington.[25] Hansen continued to serve until September 1994.[3] President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, took office in January 1993, and in October 1994 he appointed John Edward Rouille as Hansen's successor.[26] In retirement, Hansen became a resident of Rutland and spent winters in Florida.[27]

In 1955, Hansen married Nancy C. Fletcher (1934–2021).[27] They were the parents of three children— Susan, Cindy, and Mark.[27]

Hansen died in Bradenton, Florida, on May 14, 2023.[28] Hansen was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Castleton, Vermont.[27]