Obituary of Marlene Ann Hansell
Marlene Ann Hansell (nee Marlene Ann Holman) left us peacefully on February 6, 2024, at the age of 88. Born May 30, 1935 in Minot, North Dakota, Marlene grew up in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, graduated from Lincoln High School and attended the University of Washinton where she was a proud member of the Phi Beta Phi sorority. At UW, fellow student Pete Hansell finally landed the lady he had been chasing since 6th grade, and Marlene eventually left school to work to support Pete though graduation.
Theirs was one of the great love stories, ending temporarily on this earth after 68 years of marriage. Marlene and Pete were partners in growing both Pete’s businesses and their family, moving to Edmonds and raising three active, athletic kids that ski raced on weekends and played almost every other sport during the weeks. Marlene was the neighborhood mom with not only good food and an extra chair for all visitors but also a dance floor and a disco ball in her basement.
Marlene and Pete were some of the first Americans in Communist China as part of their business travels, among their many worldwide adventures. Marlene later served on the UW Presidents’ Advisory Council, became a superb golfer, built, and lived in beautiful houses on Camano Island and at the Skagit Golf Club, boated through the San Juans, threw great parties, was a fearsome bridge player and clothes shopper and a fun and doting grandmother who enjoyed the occasional edgy joke and drove muscle cars too fast, all hand-in-hand with Pete throughout. Marlene was an incomparable wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and fun and generous friend to myriad others throughout her long and full life.
Marlene was proceeded in death by her siblings Gary Holman and Joan Farley. She is survived by her husband Peter Hansell, her children Jeff (Lori), Kirk (Denise), Jill (Phil McCune), her grandchildren Ryan and Reanna (Jeff and Lori), Lucas and Michael (Kirk and Denise), and Jackson and Emma (Jill and Phil McCune) & great-grandchildren Sienna & Olivia (Reanna) and Alyson (Ryan).
The family extends its gratitude to Better Living Retreat, Edmonds for its loving and professional care of Marlene and continuing great care of Pete.
A celebration of Marlene’s life will be held at Edmonds Waterfront Center, 4/20/24 from 1- 3:30 – come raise a glass and share a story.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to an Alzheimer’s Association.
