Dena LaVay Hull Hanson

Dena “Dee” LeVay Hull was born on 14 Aug 1930 on the farm in the Sunnyside community east of Berthoud, the daughter of Lyman Harrison and Frances Henrietta (Rice) Hull. She passed away in the care of Hospice at Brookdale Mariana Buttes in Loveland on 7 July 2025.

Dena attended Sunnyside school (it was located where the Berthoud exchange on 1-25 is now). She moved with her family to Fort Collins in the 1940’s, where she graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1948.

Dena married her husband Donald Evan Wilkinson on 5 Sep 1948 in Fort Collins. To this union 3 sons were born, Donald Evan Wilkinson Jr, Lyman Clair Wilkinson and Michael Eugene Wilkinson all born in Fort Collins. Don and Dee moved several times during their marriage for Don’s various jobs. Always an adventure, she would say. Don preceded her in death on 11 Jun 1962 in Loveland Colorado.

On 8 Sep 1972 Dee married Calvin E Hanson in Cheyenne Wyoming. They made their home in the Big Thompson Canyon where they hosted many joint family events on special holidays, Easter Egg hunts and fourth of July parties complete with too many eggs and water fights. Santa Bear was always a special treat at Christmas. The home that Dee loved survived 2 major floods and was lovingly rebuilt each time.

Dee brought up her children in the First Christian Church and in the past few years she attended Buckhorn Presbyterian Church when she was able, with her son Mike. When her boys were young, she and Don were very active in the Boy Scouts of America and were given several awards for their service. Dee was a proud member of the Namaqua chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Dee loved traveling and finally convinced Cal to go on a cruise, and they never looked back, visiting much of the world this way.

Dena was preceded in death by her parents, her only sister Kay and niece Frankie Kay, her husbands Donald Wilkinson and Calvin Hanson and her grandson Mike J Wilkinson.

Dee is survived by her 3 sons, Don, Lyman and Mike and their families and Calvin’s children Martha Jurkofsky, Doris Kuhn, Edward and Paul Hanson and their families.

Dee was a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother and will be missed by all.

A private family graveside service will be held at Lakeside Cemetery in Loveland on 29 Jul 2025, at 10:00am.

A celebration of life (the party she wanted) will be held at a later date.