Stratford Star

Dorothy Patricia O’Connor Hansen

Dorothy Patricia O’Connor Hansen, 98, formerly of Stratford and Fairfield, wife of the late Det. Sgt. Jerome Hansen for 37 years, died Jan. 28, at her home in Oceanside, Calif.

She was born Oct. 1, 1913 in Bridgeport to Irish immigrants, Denis Joseph O’Connor and Bridget Sullivan O’Connor.

Mrs. Hansen attended St. Charles School and graduated from Harding High School as valedictorian and vice president of her class in 1931. She went on to graduate from Southern Connecticut State University in 1935 with a degree in education and later completed her master’s degree.

Mrs. Hansen taught for 26 years in the Stratford school system at Honeyspot, Stonybrook and Wilcoxson Schools. She also taught at St. James Parish School and volunteered teaching citizenship naturalization classes.

She was a member of St. James Parish for more than 45 years and served as president of the Ladies’ Guild. She also volunteered for both the Stratford and Fairfield Red Cross.

She married Jerome Hansen in November 1938 and took up residence at 62 Nichols Ave., Stratford until 1984 when she moved to Fairfield with her daughter, Geraldine.

Another chapter began in 1999 when she retired and they moved to Poultney, Vt. There she served with the Red Cross, St. Ann’s Parish and the library, while still driving back and forth to Connecticut. During these years, she traveled extensively to the West Coast to visit her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also traveled to Europe, Ireland and Scandinavia and enjoyed many cruises.

In August 2011, she attended family reunions in Connecticut and North Carolina. In January 2005, upon the death of her daughter, Geraldine, she relocated back to Fairfield where she resided with her sister, Catherine Ambrose at 85 Lalley Blvd., where they reigned as the neighborhood matriarchs, her family said. In July 2009, she moved to Oceanside, Calif., where she resided with her daughter, Patricia.

She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Hansen Lynch-Greene of Oceanside, Calif.; her son, David Hansen of Bellflower, Calif.; grandson, Christian Lynch and his wife, Karey, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; grandson, Eric Gaieski and his wife, Michelle, of Carlsbad, Calif.; granddaughter, Erin Gaieski and her husband, Dr. Charles Ahner, of Palm Beach, Fla.;

Also, granddaughter, Sasha Nicole Lynch of Sacramento, Calif.; and twin grandchildren, Josh and Bridget Hansen of Chula Vista, Calif.; three great-grandchildren, Zachary and Christian Chadwick Lynch of Winston-Salem, N.C. and Edana Duran-Lynch of Sacramento, Calif.; sister-in-law, Madeline O’Connor of Lordship; and many nieces and nephews.

She also was predeceased by her daughter, Geraldine Hansen Russello-Balt; and all of her siblings, Daniel J. O’Connor, Sister Eileen O’Connor, Brydie O’Connor Rowe, Esther O’Connor LaPolice, Nora O’Connor, Mary O’Connor Carroll, Catherine O’Connor Ambrose, Anna Mae O’Connor, Sylvester O’Connor, Patricia O’Connor, Geraldine O’Connor O’Donnell and Vincent O’Connor.

Services are Monday, Feb. 13, 10:30 a.m., St. James Church. Private burial in Union Cemetery. Visiting hours, Sunday, Feb. 12, 4-7 p.m., Pistey Funeral Home, 2155 Main St., Stratford. A life celebration took place Feb. 4 at the historic Mission San Luis Rey in California.

Memorial contributions may be made to Sterling House, 2283 Main St., Stratford, CT 06615 or sterlinghousecc.org.

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