David Hanson

Madison - David Rolfe Hanson, 58, of Madison, WI, our beloved and cherished father, brother, uncle, and loyal friend passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 22, 2017.

Dave was an exceptionally talented musician and a renowned and treasured member of Madison's music community. His love of music permeated all areas of his life. He could play any song by ear and the music in his soul flowed from his fingers to the piano keys. Best known for his incomparable talent on keyboards, Dave had a magic with instruments and could pick up a guitar, accordion, harmonica and play the heck out of it! Dave's father played multiple instruments (bass, clarinet, saxophone, flute) and his mother's melodic voice filled the family's home with music as she sang her way through each day. With music infusing his soul, he spent hours on the piano and was a gifted player by the age of 5.

He and his brother Erik (a talented drummer) further developed their musical abilities by playing jazz with their parents at the family's cocktail parties and eventually the boys and their parents became known as the Hanson Family Jazz Band. For a few glorious years in the early 80's, the family ran the Hanson Family Jazz Restaurant, where they all served food, interspersed with short performances throughout the night.

In recent years, the Hanson Family Jazz Band composed of David, Erik and daughter Melissa "Emmy" (lead vocals) had a standing gig at Liliana's restaurant which became the band's musical home and frequent gathering place for Dave's family and friends.

In addition, he loved performing original music with his "other brothers," better known as The O'bros. The band started to come together in their teenage years and early members include his brother Erik, Jay Moran, Phil Lyons, Pauli Ryan, and Clay Konnor. The band's distinctive blend of soul and rock created a strong fan base and the O'Bros dominated the Madison music scene for decades.

After 30 years at Midwest Family Broadcasting, he had become a radio advertising sales guru with a flair for writing catchy jingles including the famous Culver's Lemon Ice. A little known fact was that he was "Dave the organist" on the Magic 98 Morning Show. His work family loved him for his quirky humor, outgoing personality and unfailing upbeat attitude (reflected in his bouncy stride) prompting one coworker to say "I always told Dave he needed a soundtrack - because he was always bopping down the hall with a smile on his face."

Dave's two daughters were the lights of his life and he never missed an opportunity to talk about their accomplishments. He was their biggest fan and enjoyed attending horse shows to cheer on Emmy and Ryan with their horse MatchBox, and took great pride in their respective artistic endeavors, including Emmy's artwork and Ryan's glass blown art. He taught Anna some guitar skills and was proud of her dedication to teaching elementary education. He was proud that they reached for the stars and accomplished their dreams.

Dave and his daughters enjoyed a once in a lifetime trip to Florida to swim with the manatees, which Dave cherished as a magical, life changing experience. They also went to Disneyworld, where he would wake them up by jumping on the bed playing his ukulele, while singing a cheerful "Good morning" from Singing in the Rain.

Dave had a special place in his heart for his brother Erik and sister Laura. He and Erik seemed to share one mind when playing music together. It was a joy to witness how they communicated without words as they improvised and created musical magic. He enjoyed accompanying his sister Laura when she sang at family gatherings and treasured the special bond he had with his nephew Chris. Their Monty Python-esque antics greatly entertained their family at all gatherings.

Dave was always on the move and lived life to the fullest. This past Christmas season he brought joy and magic to countless families by working as a conductor on the Middleton Polar Express. He loved meeting friends for lunch, biking to the Memorial Union Terrace, taking road trips in his jeep, fishing and played any piano he walked by. Before her passing, he and his wife Tami, helped with dog transports to rescue dogs and showered affection on their cat Madie.

Dave was Brian Wilson's biggest fan, and to quote one of his favorite songs... "God only knows what I'd be without you." This is certainly true to all who knew him.

David was born December 6, 1958 in Madison, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rolfe & Betty Hanson, and his beloved wife Tami (Meyer) Hanson and his brother Peter. He is survived by his daughter Melissa "Emmy" Grayson, son-in-law Ryan Grayson and daughter Anna Thorson-Hanson, his daughters' mother & former wife Alice Thorson, his sister Laura (Dick) Timm, brother Erik (Phyllis) Hanson and nephew Christopher (Sarah) Timm, as well as his "Meyer" in-laws and many other relatives.

A visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, 2017 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. The visitation will be followed by a Celebration of David's Life from 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, 2017 at the GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER, 149 Waubesa Street, Madison. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dane County Humane Society or to the David Hanson Memorial Fund.

"Thank you for the beautiful music that filled our souls, the love and joy you spread that filled our hearts, and the kindness you freely gave to all that filled both."

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434