Charles Gordon Hansen

1956 - 2017

Charles Gordon Hansen died Tuesday November 28th in Boulder after years of declining health due to an accident. Charlie was born April 16, 1956 in Livermore, California to Calvin and Bonnie Hansen. Charlie grew up in California and Virginia, then moved to Boulder in January, 1978 to attend CU. Charlie graduated with a degree in physics and Boulder became his home. Charlie loved music from childhood on and played electric guitar, inspired by Jimi Hendrix. Taking after his electrical engineer father, his passion was electronics, particularly audio systems. His keen sense of hearing could distinguish sixteenth intervals in music and became even more sensitive with practice. Charlie co-founded Avalon Acoustics building speaker systems. He then co-founded Ayre Acoustics specializing in amplifiers and digital players and helped design Neil Young's portable Pono player. Charlie loved bicycling and raced as an alternate on the US team, competing against Andy Hampsten, Davis Phinney and many others. He was athletic and in good health until he was hit by a motorcycle in 2006 while on his bicycle, and nearly lost his life. With great perseverance of spirit, Charlie continued on with his creative work despite physical limitations. Charlie was an outdoor enthusiast and loved backpacking and rafting. His love of nature was deepened after attending classes at The Tracker School. He befriended Tom Brown, Jr and gained experience that there are dimensions beyond the physical, having touched his Eternal nature. Charlie became involved in personal development Landmark courses in the 1990s. There, he met Colleen Krauch and they married on Aug. 1, 1993. They had two children, Cooper (now Ella) in 1996 and Carter in 1999. Charlie believed in tailored education and sent his children to Waldorf schools. Charlie was predeceased by his parents and nephew Raymond Bui. He is survived by his two children (Boulder), sister Janet (NY), brothers Clay (Lafayette) and Matt (UT), five nieces and nephews, and former wife Colleen (Paonia). A Celebration of Charlie's Life will be held in the spring of 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in the name of Charles G. Hansen may be donated to: Friends of the Earth, P O Box 96466, Washington D.C. 20090-6466 or the "Spinal Cord Regeneration Program" run by Dr. Steven Davies in Australia, https.//www.florey.edu.au/donations.