Helen Jeannette Hanson

1922 - 2022

Helen Jeannette Hanson
Helen Jeanette Hanson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away in Shelton, CT on January 20, 2022 at the amazing age of 99.
Helen was born on July 29, 1922 to Harold and Dorothy Schubert in Madison, WI. Helen loved music. After playing the cello in her childhood, she focused on singing. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, with a bachelor of music degree in 1944. She taught high school music in Platteville, Wisconsin for two years, before moving to Chicago to take a job with the Girl Scouts of America. She worked with the Girl Scouts for several years, where she perfected the fine art of making s'more's. She met her husband, Don "Swede" Hanson on a blind date arranged by a close friend. They were married on August 11, 1951. Since Swede traveled a lot as a chemical engineer with Sinclair Oil, they moved often and did many cross-country trips together and eventually with four rambunctious children, often reminisced about by Helen for their car hijinks.
The family settled in Darien, CT in 1955 and Helen often referred to those years as "best years". She raised their four children and was involved in their activities, including freezing in hockey and figure skating rinks, often at the crack of dawn. She tried to encourage her children in piano(one succeeded). She loved opera and for years had season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera in NYC.
She was always involved in her community: coffee klatches, caroling parties, PTA, Community Concerts, field trip chaperone, and a good friend to many. She became interested in silver making and created some beautiful pieces. She and Swede were avid rockhounds, often traveling to North Carolina or the west with kids. Later she became secretary for the Darien Board of Realtors.
Helen and Swede retired to Cortez, in 1982 and Helen again became involved in her community with golf, bridge with friends, and volunteering. She also worked at a local southwestern gift shop, which tapped into her love of people and teaching about local culture. And, after traveling with friends to a golf tournament in Nevada and winning "big," her "new love" was born. She frequented the local casino, both for the fun of playing and the $1 strawberry shortcake. Helen often commented on her frugal Scottish heritage and often visited the McDonald's with her friends for the dollar specials.
Despite her claim to frugality, her generosity was evident with her children and grandchildren. She shared her love of Cortez and golf and many things with them, whenever they visited or during family reunions. She was also known for "fighting" to pay bills on outings and both children and grandchildren became became quite adept at "tricking Gram" to pay for things. One of her favorite stories, which she repeated many times over the years, was when she went to Wisconsin with family. They stopped for gas and her grandson got out and she gave him her credit card. She watched him carefully to make sure he used her card. When she found out later that he only put a $1 on her card and then he paid the rest, she read him the riot act and did for many years. The grandchildren loved spending time with her… She was the fun, adventurous grandma and always up for trying new things. One of the favorite memories was the reunion at Potato Lake, MN where she refused to be prevented, because of her age, from tubing behind the boat like the kids. She did it with flying colors at the age of 75.
Helen is preceded in death by her husband Donald Hanson and granddaughter, Laurel Hanson. She is survived by her four children: Kirk Hanson(Cheryl), Eric Hanson(Katherine), Carl Hanson(Pamela), Karen Hanson (Clay) and also her grandchildren: Kirsten, Kevin, Ian, and Emily Hanson and her adopted grandchildren, Amanda and Tierra. She also was blessed with three great grandchildren: Sylvan Aldo and Elsie.
Mom and Gram, your fun-loving spirit and loving heart will be deeply missed by all of us and know that you were and always will be loved.
Graveside services/memorial will be scheduled in the spring in Helen's beautiful Cortez, CO, next to her loving husband. Memorials in lieu of flowers are suggested to the Alzheimer's Foundation, Dean Hanson Memorial Scholarship Fund, American Diabetes Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the charity of your choice.