Larger than life Patriot Ledger reporter dies suddenly at 67. He worked there for 42 years

The Patriot Ledger
Updated ·2 min read

Patriot Ledger reporter Fred Hanson died Monday, April 8, 2024, after collapsing outside of Braintree Town Hall. He was there to cover a school committee meeting.

Remembering Fred Hanson: 'He was someone you were always glad to see'

Hanson, 67, worked for The Patriot Ledger for nearly 43 years. Most recently, he covered Braintree and Milton.

Hanson spent most of his life in Braintree, living there until his death. He leaves his mother, 12 siblings and nieces and nephews. He was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Hanson was an avid reader, baseball fan and old movie buff.

He was known in the newsroom for his institutional knowledge of the South Shore and booming voice. Hanson loved to tell a tale, whether it was a story in The Patriot Ledger with his byline or in a weekly staff meeting with his peers. He was the president of The Patriot Ledger Newsroom Association.

"Fred was an integral part of The Patriot Ledger news staff," said Patriot Ledger editor Jen Wagner. "Nobody disliked Fred. He was terribly affable. He appeared gruff and very serious a lot of the time to those who did not know him well. But get him talking and you'd see so much more – from his love of history to his love of family. And he'd always ask about your family, too. He had a very big heart."

Visiting hours will be held at the Sweeney Brothers Home for Funerals, 1 Independence Avenue, Quincy, on Friday, April 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint Francis of Assisi Church, 856 Washington Street, Braintree, on Saturday, April 13, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Hanson’s memory may be made to The University of Massachusetts radio station: WUMB, UMass Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125 or the Marge Crispin Center, c/o Ann Toland, 46 Lincoln Street, Braintree, MA 02184.

In Hanson's own words from a story in The Patriot Ledger, here is more about the Marge Crispin Center: "Since its formation, the center has supported residents who need food and emergency aid. It operates a food pantry, which, during COVID-19, became a lifeline for those who needed help but could not leave their homes, particularly elderly residents."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Patriot Ledger reporter Fred Hanson, of Braintree, dies