Astoria, Ore. – Marshall Rabey Hankerson, 94, of Astoria, Ore., and formerly of Thief River Falls, where he served as superintendent of schools from 1960-67, died Wednesday, March 3, 2010, in Astoria, Ore. Hankerson was also a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
    A public funeral was held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13 at Pioneer Presbyterian Church, 33324 Patriot Way in Warrenton, Ore. Interment will be held at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore., on May 7, 2010.
    He was born February 27, 1916, in Duluth, to George A. and Nettie Hankerson.
    He received a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University in St. Paul, and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
    On December 25, 1938, he married Lavaun Hankerson in Hill City. She preceded him in death in 1997.
    He served in the U.S. Navy as a seaman second class, and was discharged in 1946.
    Marshall served as a superintendent of schools in various districts in Minnesota from 1942 to 1977, including Thief River Falls. He was proud that he built a school in four of the six districts he served. After retirement, he was on the school board in Woodburn well into his 70s, and lobbied for public education in both Minnesota and Oregon.     He lived in the Clatsop County area for 11 years.
    He was active in his local churches in Minnesota as well as in the United Methodist Church in Woodburn. He was a member of the Pioneer Presbyterian Church in Warrenton at the time of his death.
    Family members said that he and his wife sang in Festival Chorale Oregon and performed with the group in Scandinavia.
    He is survived by two daughters, JoNett Hankerson of Pocatello, Idaho, and Jan Hankerson of Warrenton, Oregon; a son, George Hankerson of Apple Valley; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and nine nieces and nephews scattered from coast to coast.
    He was preceded in death by a granddaughter and two brothers.
    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a local
school district or to the Hill City School District, in care of Jan Hankerson, P.O. Box 282, Warrenton, OR 97146.
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