Ruth I. ( Bettencourt ) Hansen, Proprietor / Manager of O.H. Hansen General Store ( Est. 1912) in Stoughton and beloved wife of 65 years to the late Orrin H. Hansen, passed away on Wednesday December 22, 2010 at the New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton. She was 95 years old. Mrs. Hansen is survived by her four children, George Hansen, Howard Hansen and Elliot Hansen of Stoughton and Harvey Hansen of Arlington. She was also a mother to the late Arthur Hansen of Mississippi who passed away in 2001. Other survivors include her six grandchildren, Lynn Hutchison of Mississippi, Wayne T. Hansen of New Jersey, Timothy P. Hansen of Holden, MA, Katie J. Teixeira of Bridgewater, MA, Jeffrey E. Hansen of Portsmouth, VA and Rachael M. Simpson of Manchester, NH. Ruth is also survived by her 12 great - grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her sister Lois McCarthy, her two brothers, Roger A. Bettencourt and Francis Bettencourt and her grandson Erik D. Hansen.
Mrs. Hansen was born in North Adams, Massachusetts on July 12, 1915. She was a loving daughter to the late John H. and Jennie E. ( Flye ) Bettencourt. She had resided in Colrain, Dorchester prior to 1920 and moved to her new home built by her father and grandfather on Pine Street in Holbrook,MA in that same year 1920. She attended Holbrook Public Schools. In 1929 Ruth met her future husband at a dance at the Brockton War Memorial when she was 14 years old. She was Co - Valedictorian of the Charles Sumner High School, Holbrook Class of 1933. Ruth resided in Stoughton for 73 years.
Her lifelong hobbies and additional work history for over twenty - five years included teaching Cake decorating classes at Holbrook High School, the West Junior High School in Brockton and also evening classes three time a week in the town’s of Rockland, Canton, Bridgewater, Randolph and Stoughton. She retired from the Evening Practical Arts program in 1980 at the age of 65.
Ruth was one of the original members of the 20 – 40 Club at the First Parish Universalist Church in Stoughton. More recently she volunteered as the churches Flower Chairman. For fifteen years she was also the Recording secretary for the Stoughton Historical Society. She was also a member of the Stoughton Republican Town Committee and volunteered as a Poll Worker, often as Precinct 7 Warden from 1966 - 2008.
Visiting hours will be held on Sunday December 26, 2010 from 2 – 6 P.M. in the Sheehan, Lowe & Powers Funeral Home, 115 Monk Street, Stoughton. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. At her request, all funeral services and burial will be private. A public memorial service will be held on Sunday January 2, 2011 at 2 P.M. in the First Parish Universalist Church, 790 Washington Street , Stoughton. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or The First Parish Universalist Church, 790 Washington Street, Stoughton,MA 02072 in Ruth’s memory, would be appreciated.