Mary Edna 'Eddy' Hansen

Mary Edna "Eddy" Hansen passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2015, at the age of 94.

Cremation has taken place and at her request, there will be no service.

She was born to Joseph and Emma Du Mont on the Fort Qu'appelle First Nation Reserve, Saskatchewan, on Feb. 6, 1921, as the first of four children. Of Métis heritage, she spent her early years on the Chippewa/Cree Indian Reservation in Rocky Boy, Mont. She was one of many unfortunates of that era who were taken from her family and sent to the Haskell Indian School in Lawrence, Kan., where she completed high school. She returned to Northeastern Montana, where in her early years, she worked as a telephone operator in Glasgow.

After World War II, she met and married Walter Hugo Hansen in May of 1946 in Hinsdale. She and Walt remained in Glasgow until June of 1966, when the family moved to Great Falls. She worked for several years in the dry-cleaning business and then worked for Cascade County until her retirement in 1982.

She was a very talented seamstress and tailor. In later years she began creating dolls of all kinds, especially beautiful Raggedy Anns and Andys. One of her most memorable dolls was one of Dennis Rodman that she donated to an auction which brought in a lot of money for charity. She also was a skilled quilter and made sure every member of her family received one of her beautiful creations.

She had a lifelong love of music and played the violin at a very young age. She especially loved classical music and the big band sounds, but you could hear her scream a block away if she heard a country/western tune.

She will always be remembered by the beautiful hats that she wore every chance she had. She was most assuredly one of the snazziest dressers in both Great Falls and Helena.

In 1994 she moved to Helena to be closer to her son, Hugo Lee, and to her daughter, Gaynell. During this time she decided to start traveling and found herself on a Caribbean cruise and trips to the UK, Europe, Japan and China. She still remembered the delicious German beer.

She moved again to Portland, Ore., in 2011, to live out her final years being near John and his family. She so loved Portland's flora and fauna.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walt; and all three siblings.

Survivors include three sons, Hugo Lee Hansen of Clancy, Mont., John Hansen and his wife, Betty, of Wilsonville, Ore., and David Hansen of Great Falls; one daughter, Gaynell Bruck and her husband, Dave, of Helena; grandchildren, Janna Kroll and her husband Dan, Dustin Whealon of Missoula, Johanna Hansen and Harley Hansen of Wilsonville, Chris Whealon of Helena, and Kaitlin Hansen of Great Falls; three great-grandchildren, Kaitlin Kroll, Hanna Kroll and Nolan Bruck, all of Helena; and dear friends, Bob and Cheryl Rounds.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Friendship Center, 1430 N. Sanders, Helena, MT 59601, or to your local humane society.