Obituary of Constance M. Hanson

Constance M. “Connie” Hanson of Glenville passed into eternal rest suddenly on Saturday, December 12, 2020.  Born in 1941 in the Bronx, NY, she was the daughter of the late Lucien and Marjorie Gagnon.

Connie grew up in Manhattan, but moved to Schenectady as a teenager, where her foster family became her forever family.  She was a graduate of Linton High School, and over the years had a variety of jobs including Woolworth’s, Central Market, Coton’s Farm, Drome Sound, and St. Clare’s Hospital.  Her hobbies included puzzle books, flower gardening, crocheting, needlepoint, miniatures, traveling, and spending time in Lake Placid, Sacandaga, Pine Lake, or at the ocean.

Those of us who knew her were constantly amazed by her selflessness, her desire to help others, and how she was so giving of herself.

Connie was predeceased by her beloved husband of 48 years, Arnold Hanson, her parents, and her brother Phillip.

She is survived by her sisters Margaret Gagnon and Audrey (Michael) Taylor; sons David (Christine) Hanson and Christopher Hanson; daughter Linda (Alphonse) DeArroyo; grandchildren Elizabeth Hanson, Christopher (Michelle) Hanson, and Jennifer Hanson; great-grandchildren Esabella and Aiden; and many nieces and nephews. 

From her children:  One set of words cannot express our gratitude for all of the things that you did for us.  We can’t record everything for which we are thankful, but these are examples of what you meant to us:  

Thanks for giving us life.  Thanks for giving us our moral compass; for teaching us right from wrong; for teaching us about tolerance and respect for mankind.  Thanks for encouraging our ambitions and giving us the drive that has allowed us to do great things.  Thanks for making sacrifices even if we made mistakes.  Thanks for making sure that we always had food on our plate, and clean and ironed clothes on our back.  Thanks for just listening when we needed an ear, for being a shoulder to cry on when we needed it, and for being stern when we needed that too.  Thanks for giving us freedom to make our own choices and learn our own lessons.  

Thanks for carrying that purse that always had enough candy, gum, band-aids, and money to get us through whatever was the crisis du jour.  Thanks for everything else that you’ve done that we didn’t even know about, can’t remember, or were ungrateful for at the time.

Thanks for giving us the foundation and the space we needed to grow into the adults that we are.  Thank you for being the best mom that you could.  We love and miss you, Mom!

A private family service will be held this week.  Her final resting place will be the North Elba Cemetery.

In her words:  “I wish to thank my loved ones whom I was so lucky to have had in my life.  Please remember me for the good memories and not the ones that weren’t so good.  Life comes and goes, so go forth and have a great life.  That would be the best way to honor me”.  

In lieu of flowers, consider doing a kind act today, offer someone a helping hand or words of encouragement, mending a broken bridge, or just reach out to someone you love.