David E. Hanrahan

1937-May 31, 2016

David “Dave” Earl Hanrahan, 79, died in his sleep of natural causes on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.

A memorial will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 2, 2016, at the Homer United Methodist Church, 770 East End Road.

He was born in 1937 in Dover, Del., to George and Mildred Hanrahan. His family later moved to Oak Lawn, Ill., near Chicago where his parents had grown up. After graduating from high school, Dave enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served on the submarine USS Raton from 1955-1957, and completed five years in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Dave received a bachelor of science in education from Northern Illinois University, and was employed at atomic reactors at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Ill., and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. After receiving his master’s in industrial education from Iowa State University, Dave taught welding at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

In 1970 Dave, his wife and two young sons moved to Alaska. The family lived on the Kenai Peninsula while Dave taught industrial arts at Ninilchik School and welding at Kenai Central High School. They then moved to Anchorage where Dave taught welding for two years at Anchorage Community College. The family moved back to the Kenai Peninsula in 1976, as Dave was hired at Kenai Peninsula Community College to plan and oversee the development of the welding and mechanical technology programs. He taught welding, mechanical technology and petroleum technology courses at KPCC/KPC until he retired in 1990. During the summers from 1978-1983, Dave also fished commercial halibut in Cook Inlet with his son Andrew. In retirement, Dave and his second wife, Dee, split their time between Homer, Alaska, and Tucson, Ariz.

Dave enjoyed canoeing and hunting in Illinois, Iowa and Alaska for pheasant, moose and other big game. He developed passions for bow hunting, fishing and boating in Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay, and learning about indigenous cultures and crafts of Alaska and Arizona. Dave also supported wildlife and land conservation, and believed strongly in honoring the dignity of all people. He was active in the Homer United Methodist Church, and was a 32nd degree Mason. As a father he loved his sons and daughter, and his son’s families very much. Dave was devoted to his cocker spaniels, and his dog, Buddy, was his constant companion.

Dave is survived by his sons, Andrew Hanrahan (Krista Timlin) and Michael Hanrahan (Sonia Larssen); grandson, Ethan Larssen-Hanrahan; step-son, Michael Indicavitch and family, first wife Janet (Bergan) Hanrahan, and dog Buddy.

David was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Heather Jane Hanrahan, and second wife Delores (Orr) Hanrahan.