Robert C. "Bob" Hansen

1948 - 2022

SCHENECTADY - Robert "Bob" C. Hansen, 74, died unexpectedly on October 17, 2022, at Kingsway Arms Nursing Home in Schenectady, due to complications of Parkinson's disease.
He was born on June 4, 1948, in the sunny state of California (Cupertino) though he grew up on Long Island - living in North Babylon and summering at the family cottage in Stony Brook. He was a graduate of North Babylon High School and obtained both a bachelor's degree in engineering and a Master's degree in computer science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Bob had a long and multifaceted career working early on at Northrop Grumman Inc., and then as a stagehand on a number of Broadway shows (even once getting a hug from Bette Midler!). He commenced his New York State government computer science career in the late 1970s with the N.Y.S. Department of Social Services in Albany, and retired in June 2008 from the Office for Technology looking forward to having more - a lot more - time for his first love, sailing.
Not only was he an expert sailor traversing the waters of Long Island Sound on his sailboats: Galena Maris, its successor, the wooden cutter Amantha II, and finally aboard Neptune's Car (his beloved Dutch 48' steel ketch), he sailed and worked on myriad other vessels as well: the Spirit of Massachusetts, the Ernestina, Maine schooners, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Dragonfly, the Sojourner Truth, and the Woody Guthrie. After retiring from the state, Bob became a first mate on the replica of Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon (Halve Maen), and enjoyed many Hudson River voyages on it until it took up residence in The Netherlands. Bob also sailed on as many smaller boats as he could get his hands on. He also enjoyed sailing in the Caribbean as well as experiencing river boating through Europe.
Sailing may have been at the top of the list but it certainly wasn't his only interest. From his earliest days of going "down the gully" to the creek by the family summer home in Stony Brook, Bob always enjoyed the water and all of nature's gifts. Therefore, it should be no surprise that he enjoyed cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, being a fur-trade era re-enactor during the Albany Tricentennial and other historic events, paddling both his solo canoe and eight-person war canoes, rowing his Adirondack Guideboats, hiking - once to the source of the Hudson River (Lake Tear of the Clouds) - plus camping with friends in the Adirondacks, Algonquin Park, the Allagash, Maine, and on an epic paddling Everglades sojourn, and other places.
Bob was a man of strong personal opinion - he liked his coffee strong, his beer and rum dark, and absolutely plain-only pizza! He was a member of a number of environmental and water-based organizations including, HRS Clearwater, North River Friends, Mystic Seaport (especially enjoying the Sea Music Festivals), and the Mohawk Hudson Sail and Power Squadron. He served MHSPS as an officer at various times, including a stint as commander, and as editor of the NRFC newsletter, The Compass.
Bob is survived by his brother, Frank; his sister-in-law, Annette; his nieces, Jessica and Amanda; his grandnieces and nephews, and his close cousins, Edie and Pat, plus numerous sailing and paddling friends located all across the eastern seaboard. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Edith, as well as a number of dear relatives and friends and his seagoing kitties, Polly, Pfeisty, and Joshua (named for J. Slocum, of course).
Memorial gatherings for Bob will be held in the spring of 2023, both on Long Island and in the Albany area. Public notice of the dates and places will be published once plans are finalized.
Those interested in commemorating Bob's life may direct condolences to his family, and/or contributions in his name to North River Friends of Clearwater (NRFC), P.O. Box 3842, Albany, NY, 12203; or to HRS Clearwater, 724 Wolcott Ave, Beacon, NY, 12508 or at Clearwater.org.
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