Betty M Hanson

Betty M. Hanson died on October 4, 2022 at the age of 93, at the Merrimack County Nursing Home in Boscawen. She was born on March 5, 1929, in Concord, to Grace Stickney Morse and Perley Morse, and grew up on Dunklee Street. She graduated from Concord High School in 1948 as Senior Class Treasurer and was voted Best Looking girl in her class.

After high school graduation Betty enrolled in the Concord Hospital School of Nursing, excelling in her studies until she left school to marry Richard Hanson of Bow in 1949. Betty and Dick briefly lived on Pleasant Street in Concord before moving back to the Hanson family home on Grandview Road in Bow in 1950, where Dick had been born in 1927 and where they raised 5 children. Betty was a Cub Scout leader, a room mother at the Bow Elementary School, a founding member of the Bow Garden Club, a member of the Bow Historical Society, a volunteer at Concord Hospital, and a long-time member of the Grange.  She had a beautiful voice and for many years sang in productions of the Messiah.

Betty and Dick were fortunate to own several camps - not “lake houses” - on Lakes Winnisquam and Massasecum. They were very active in skiing and ski races at Pat’s Peak from the time it first opened in the mid-60’s, and they followed their sons’ ski races all over the Northeast. They also took many family car trips in the wood-sided Ford Country Squire station wagon, to California, Florida, Canada, New York and Washington DC. Dick liked to announce, without necessarily telling Betty in advance, “Get in the car, kids – we’re all going on a trip!”

Betty supported Dick in the Hanson Building Co., and in all his civic and political work on the town, county and state levels, accompanying him to two Republican National Conventions where he was an alternate delegate. But she was an independent thinker and voter, prompting Dick to declare that his middle name was Delano (it was Dean) because she admired FDR; and proudly installing an Obama for President sign on her front lawn in 2008.

Betty lost Dick far too soon, in December 1978. She is survived by her five children, Susan Paschell of Bow; Tina Soule of Ashland; Richard Jr. (Kim Lampron) of Concord; Jonathan (Julie) of Weare; and Heidi Gillis (Mike) of Rollinsford. She also leaves 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, all of whom will greatly miss Grammy Bow, who was the kindest, the wisest, the silliest, and always the Best Looking.

SERVICES: Services will be private. Donations in Betty’s name can be made to the Bow Volunteer Fire Department, 10 Grandview Road, Bow NH 03304.