Norman (Leslie) Hannon, BSc (died 25 July 2021, aged 97)
Obituary submitted by Leslie’s brother, Michael
Norman (Leslie) Hannon died on 25 July 2021, at home in Bella Vista, Arkansas, aged 97. Les, as he was known, was born on 31 December 1923, in Ballymoney, County Antrim, eldest son of Archdeacon Gordon Hannon and his wife Hilda (née Denny). He attended Mourne Grange School in County Down and Bryanston School in England.
After spending his first year reading Engineering at Queen’s, Les joined the Royal Air Force in September 1942, serving first as a Leading Aircraftman (LAC) in England, then training as a pilot in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Returning home, he resumed his Queen’s degree course and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1950.
Les first met his future wife Patricia (Pat) Smale in 1948 when her father was the US Consul in Belfast; they were married in Cape Town in 1951. His career in engineering and consulting included lengthy assignments in Belfast, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia, Dublin, and England. Their son Philip was born in Australia and twins Sarah and Michael in Ireland. In 1963, the family emigrated to the United States, with stops in New Jersey, Maryland, Quebec, Kansas, and Ohio. In 1973 they made Lawrence, Kansas their home.
In 1982, Les and a partner formed the consulting firm The Leawood Group. He retired in 1989 but continued as Chairman of the Board and as an associate consultant until 2000. In Lawrence, he was active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.
Les’s wife Pat and their younger son Michael predeceased him, she in 2013 and he in 1976. In 2017 Les moved to live with his daughter Sarah in Bella Vista, Arkansas, where he enjoyed line dancing, gym workouts and, specially, meeting his great-grandsons.
He is survived by son Philip, of Shawnee, Kansas, daughter Sarah in Bella Vista, four grandchildren and two great-grandsons, also by his brothers David, Brian and Michael.
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