Keith O. Hanson

Born to Carl and Mildred Hanson, Keith grew up with his siblings on a farm in rural Watertown, South Dakota. He attended St. Olaf College and eventually earned a Master of Divinity degree at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Minnesota. During that time he worked in a variety of jobs to help pay for his education. Keith began his professional career serving a parish in Church's Ferry, North, Dakota. After additional pastoral training and education, he moved on to serve as a prison chaplain in Waukegan, IL. During the last 20 years of his ministry, he served as a pastor in several Lutheran and Methodist churches in rural South Dakota.

Keith loved talking about his faith, listening to classical music, as well as singing and acting. He encouraged his family to develop their skills and interest in the performing arts. He always supported his grandchildren in their various activities, attending sporting events and musical performances alike. Keith was an avid gardener, and was known to put his grandchildren to work, picking the abundance of tomatoes and other vegetables from his garden at harvest time.

He was preceded in death by his parents and oldest sister, Margaret "Peggy" Armstrong. Keith will be missed by those who survive him: his sons, Yurii (Kerry) Hanson of Billings, MT, Yosha (Suhail Cumerin) Hanson of Casper, Wyoming , and their mother, Mariann "Maia" Witthar of Bozeman, MT; grandchildren, Elijah, Ava and Etta Hanson of Billings, MT; as well as siblings, Kenneth (Linda) Hanson of East Lansing, MI, Shirley Gibson of Boise, ID, Richard (Pat) Hanson of Eden Prairie, MN, and Elaine Hysell of Madison, WI.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1108 24th Street West, Billings, with a reception to follow.

A livestream broadcast of the service is available for viewing here: Keith Hanson funeral livestream