Joan G. Hansen

Marquette, MI - Joan (Gallagher) Hansen, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2023, at the age of 91, at the Mill Creek Senior Living Community, while under the care of her family, staff at Mill Creek and the U.P. Home Health and Hospice.
Mrs. Hansen was the daughter of James and Lucille (McCarthy) Gallager of Escanaba, both of whom are deceased. She was born in Escanaba, and after her mother's death when Joan was five years of age she was raised in Ishpeming by her mother's sisters, Florence and Etta McCarthy. After attending St. John's Grade School in Ishpeming, she graduated from the Ishpeming High School in 1950. Following this she studied journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and later earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Northern Michigan University. Mrs. Hansen taught music and English at the Grammar School in Ishpeming and later general music and chorus at the Phelps Intermediate School, also in Ishpeming, as well as private piano and voice.
Mrs. Hansen was a member of the Marquette Community Theater where she directed, sang, acted, directed properties, and was in general a jack-of-all-trades. She sang for many years with the Choraleers of Ishpeming, was a member of the Ishpeming Coral Club directed by Dr. Joseph Bertucci and was a charter member of the Marquette Choral Society. SHE WAS member of the Bell Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the Wawonowin Country Club, and has enjoyed golfing, bird hunting and deer hunting over the years.
Joan published many magazine articles, several concerning boating, an activity which she and her husband enjoyed at their camp on Lake Michigamme as well as for a month on the Great Lakes each summer. Her book, Anatomy of Anatomy: The making of a Movie, concerns the making of the film "Anatomy of a Murder" which was based on the book written by her friend and neighbor, John D. Voelker (pen nae Robert Traver) of Ishpeming. Joan appeared in a PBS documentary about the making of this movie, "Anatomy '59: The Making of a Classic Motion Picture." She also participated in the dedication of the James Stewart stamp which was held in the Marquette County Courthouse by the United States Postal Service. Later Joan wrote and narrated the script for another documentary, "Anatomy of Anatomy" which was based on her book by that title.
She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 30 years, Walter L. Hansen. She is survived by two sons, Karl John Lehmann and Kurt William (Julie) Lehmann both of Ishpeming; three grandsons, Andrew (Kate) Lehmann, Jacob (Catherine) Lehmann and David (Stacey) Lehmann, three stepchildren, W. Karl Hansen, Helen (Michael) Grossman and Amy Hansen, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family will greet relatives and friends on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, from 11:00am-1:00pm to remember Joan's life at the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home. Interment will take place at the Ishpeming Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the U.P. Home Health and Hospice, 510 Mather Ave., Ishpeming, MI 49849 in Joan's memory.
Joan's obituary may also be viewed at bjorkandzhulkie.com where relatives and friends may leave a note of remembrance.