Almus Lee Hanson, Jr

Almus Lee Hanson, Jr., of Oneonta, passed away on Sep. 7, 2024, following a brief illness.

Lee was born on Jan 24, 1943, in Jackson, Ala., to parents Almus Lee Hanson, Sr. and Lillie Mae Pool Hanson, both of Arab, Ala. When he was 3, the family moved to Oneonta after his father was hired as president of the newly formed Citizens Bank.

He graduated from Oneonta High School in 1960 and received an appointment to attend the United States Naval Academy. However, his poor eyesight prevented his enrollment, so he chose to attend The University of Alabama, the University of Alabama School of Law and Cumberland Law School. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, the Druids Society, Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He was also a student government association representative.

Due to his father’s passing his freshman year, Lee returned to Oneonta upon completing his education. There, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Carol Smith, and began his banking career as vice president of Citizens Bank under the leadership of his mother, one of only two female bank presidents in Alabama at the time.

Throughout his banking career, Lee played a key role in advancing financial services in Blount County. He served as chairman of the National Independent Bankers Education Committee and was an original board member of the Alabama Bankers Association Education Committee. He also served as a trustee of the Alabama Banking Association.

He helped organize Oneonta’s first savings and loan and was instrumental in creating other ways for Blount Countians to access credit and capital. Under his leadership, Citizens Bank became one of the first Alabama banks to create a one-bank holding company and expanded to Blountsville, Gadsden, and Glencoe.

Lee’s civic contributions extended beyond the banking industry. He served on the state of Alabama’s Certificate of Need board from 1986 to 1989, as well as Alabama’s Regional Economic Development Advisory Board and Economic Development Advisory Board. He also served as chairman of the City of Oneonta Utilities Board.

A devoted member of Oneonta First Baptist Church, Lee became the youngest member to be elected deacon, and eventually served as chairman of the deacons, chairman of the finance committee, and chairman of the architectural committee, which oversaw construction of the new church building and bell tower, which was named in honor of his parents.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, Almus and Lillie Mae Hanson.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Carol Smith Hanson; his sister, Mary Hanson Watkins (Jim); his daughters, Candace Hanson Underwood (Richard), Holly Hanson Smith (Fred), Heather Hanson Payne (Mike); his grandchildren, Davis Underwood (Alex), Sawyer Underwood, Allyson Payne, Lily Smith, Katie Lee Payne, Isabel Smith, Mary Emily Payne, and Darby Smith; his great granddaughter, Grace Underwood; brothers-in-law Steve Smith and Mark Smith; nephews Carl Smith (Miranda), Chad Smith, Nicholas Smith, Nate Smith, Jimmy Watkins, and Josh Watkins (Ann); and nieces Mandy Elledge (Ben) and Hanson Watkins.