News

Paul Hansen, pillar of Laurel Park, has died

By Bill Moss, Published: April 25, 2025

LAUREL PARK — Longtime Laurel Park residents, especially those active in civic affairs and interested in the colorful history of the Town on a Mountain, on Friday were mourning the loss of Paul Hansen.

Hansen died on Thursday night at a Greenville hospital, where he had been admitted in intensive care, having suffered an illness for a long period.

"He's probably one of the most important people to come through Laurel Park ever, since W.A. Smith," the town's founder, said Mayor Carey O'Cain.

Virginia Gambill, a friend and admirer of Hansen, shared the news this way:  "The pillar of Laurel Park, Paul Hansen, has died. Those of us in Laurel Park who loved and respected the life and work of Paul are deeply saddened at the news."

Ironically, Hansen's death came exactly a month before the formal kickoff of a yearlong celebration of the centennial of the town he loved.

Hansen was a member of the Laurel Park Civic Association Board for 10 years and served several terms as president, chaired the Laurel Park Planning Board for four of the nine years he served on it, and was also an original member of the Laurel Park Parks & Greenways Board. 

After he was appointed to fill a council vacancy, he elected to the council in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

When he filed for re-election in July 2021, Hansen cited roads, growth management, the improvement of U.S. 64 at Laurel Park's eastern gateway and planning for the town's centennial in 2025 as priorities. "We have 13 historical markers and we have 14 more to do and the council hopes to have it done by the centennial," he said.

A homeowner in Laurel Park since 1980, Hansen had been a regular visitor to Henderson County for decades before that. He graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and was retired after 31 years in the international aerospace industry.

Further information on services and coverage of Hansen's contributions to the town, both as a longtime council member and devoted chronicler of town history, will be forthcoming.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. RETURN TO THE LIGHTNING FOR UPDATED COVERAGE.