Norman Leslie “Les” Hannon

Norman Leslie (Les) Hannon died July 25, 2021, at home in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Les was born December 31, 1923, in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, the son of Archdeacon Arthur Gordon Hannon and Hilda Catherine Stewart-Moore Denny Hannon. He attended boarding schools in Northern Ireland and England. After service in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he graduated from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1950.

Les first met his future wife Patricia Ann Smale in 1948 when her father was the US Consul in Belfast. In 1951 they were married in Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa. An adventurous life together followed. His career in engineering and consulting included lengthy assignments in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia, Ireland, and England. Philip was born in Australia and Sarah and Michael in Ireland. In 1963, the family emigrated to the United States, with stops in New Jersey, Maryland, Quebec (Canada), Kansas, and Ohio. Les and Pat made Lawrence, Kansas their home starting in 1973. They continued to move, living in ten different houses in and around Lawrence, including four that they designed and built.

In 1982, he 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, Les was active in the Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club and with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. Following his final retirement in 2000 he served on the Lawrence Board of Zoning Appeals. He was also an active member of the Lawrence Stamp Club and volunteered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, including two years as president of the Auxiliary, at Red Cross Blood Drives and at the Lawrence Public Library. Les moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas in 2017 to live with his daughter Sarah. There he enjoyed line dancing and gym workouts.

His beloved wife Pat and son Michael preceded him in death, Pat in 2013 and Mike in 1976. He is survived by his son Philip Hannon (Sandra) of Shawnee, Kansas and daughter Sarah Hannon of Bella Vista, Arkansas. He is also survived by grandchildren Derek Hannon (Rebecca), Trevor Hannon, Clayton Dahm, and Erin Briggs (Mason), great-grandsons Arthur Hannon and Benton Briggs, and brothers Brian in Northern Ireland, and David and Michael in England.

A Celebration of Life and time of sharing will be held at the Weinberg Pavilion at the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum, 5100 W 27th St, Lawrence, Kansas on Sunday, September 5, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.

The family suggests memorials in his name to the donor’s charity of choice.