Shirley Hanson

Shirley N. Hanson of South Boston, Virginia passed October 22, 2017 after a valiant battle against cancer.  Born in Huntington Park, California on December 1, 1933, Shirley and husband Willard Carr "Bill"? Hanson shared the same birthday though born six years apart. They married in Boston, Massachusetts in 1956.   Memorial services will be held Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 2:00 P.M. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel. Family and friends may call beginning one hour before the service. Interment in Arlington National Cemetery, together with her husband, a WWII veteran, will occur at a later date.   The daughter of the late Harry Eugene Nuzum and the late Sue Grunden Nuzum, Shirley grew up and attended school through college in California. She became a flight attendant at the dawn of the jet age with United Airlines, which brought her to Boston frequently, where she met her future husband. At the time, Bill hosted a popular, national classical music show on radio sponsored by American Airlines. Mutual friends introduced them at an airline-sponsored event.   Shirley was devoted to her family, her three children, her four siblings and parents in California, and her five grandchildren.  Adopted and rescued kitties and dogs were part of her family throughout her life. She loved social times with friends and folks she had yet to meet. Shirley's sunny and feisty personality made her new friends all the time. Among her favorite things were playing all kinds of table games and laughing and enjoying time with family. Her grand passion was bridge, learning contract bridge in the 50s and developing her skills over the years to become an excellent duplicate player. Playing regularly with her clubs in South Boston, Clarksville, Roxboro and Oxford; attending out of town tournaments when she lived in Kentucky and Virginia, she was a life time member of the American Contract Bridge League, became an active NABC Master in 2003, and was shy 16 points from becoming a Life Master. She wished to play "just one more time."?   Shirley is survived by sons, Mark Eugene Hanson and wife Teresa of Eastham, Massachusetts and Gregory Willard Hanson and wife Jennifer of Fairfax, Virginia; daughter Paula Sue Hanson Murphy and husband Walter of Halifax, Virginia; a brother Michael Edward Nuzum of Los Osos, California; grandchildren, Shannon Leigh Abell of Manassas, Virginia; Emilie Rose Hanson of Alexandria, Virginia; Willard "Will"? Clokey Hanson, Sean Gregory Hanson and Derek Mark Hanson all of Fairfax, Virginia. Please consider memorial contributions to: Sentara Halifax Regional Hospice & Palliative Care/Home Health Care, 1604 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, VA 24592 and Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 1891, Halifax, VA 24558. We, Shirley's family, express our deepest gratitude for the care, concern and unflagging support given by the members of these organizations. Online condolences may be directed to www.powellfuneralinc.com.   Arrangements are by: Powell Funeral Home, 1603 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, VA 24592.