Janet Madeleine Hanson Memorial Service
Saturday, August 10th
Janet Madeleine Hanson’s memorial service will be Saturday, August 10th at 11 a.m. at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church on Bainbridge Island. At the service guests will be invited to share memories. The celebration of life will continue with lunch. You can contact Janet’s daughter Lisa Lewis at LCL at MIT dot EDU or (360) 602-2887. Even if you don’t make contact you’re of course still most welcome. For those who cannot attend the service will be webcast.
Janet was born August 1st, 1929 in Wallace, Idaho. Her father had been mayor during the 1910 fire, later lieutenant governor, and was a renowned attorney. With her sister Nancy Lee she boarded at The Bush School in Seattle during high school. At Stanford she majored in art history, studied creative writing, and was a reporter on the Stanford Daily. She reported for the Spokesman Review for one year, then left to study at the Art Students League of New York, becoming a life member. While there she also earned a master’s degree at Teachers College, Columbia University. After marrying John Lewis she taught art for a few years, then bore Lisa, Peter and Walter.
Optic neuritis began causing worsening blind spots, rendering her legally blind. Yet when they first developed and were few and small, obscuring little, she recognized a child chasing a ball could disappear behind one, slowing her reaction. In those days all that was required to renew a driver’s license was mailing back a form. Knowing life would be far more difficult without a car, she nevertheless chose to give up her license.
After a 1976 divorce Janet returned West with the children, buying a house in Bellevue where she could walk to town. A subsequent marriage to Joe Astler lasted five years.
As Bellevue grew the local grocery became an office-supply store, making it difficult to shop on foot. She therefore sought out a small town like Wallace and moved to Winslow, where she remained until ill health forced her into care.
Janet’s activities ranged from the League of Women Voters to volunteering on the art committee for Seattle’s transit tunnel. She was always split between art and writing, but ever-worsening vision made the choice for her. Janet wrote numerous stories, finished one novel, and did extensive research for a historical novel. Always interested in learning, Janet attended writers’ conferences, joined a French conversation group and even – to her family’s shock – took a class in algebra.
Janet’s health declined precipitously in the last three years and she died in her sleep on March 8th, with family present. Janet’s love of life, thoughtfulness, repartee, and encouragement of others to read and learn are and will be all greatly missed.
TRIBUTE Paid Notice
