Barbara Alice Hansen

Rye - Barbara Alice Hansen, 86, of Rye, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2023 at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Barbara was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on August 9, 1937 a daughter of the late Arnold and Alice (Fairchild) Bresnehan. She was the younger sister to Donna. She spent her early years living in both Portsmouth, NH and Upper Darby, PA as she followed her father who was a contractor for the Navy during the Second World War. At the age of 9, her family settled back in Beloit. Barbara graduated as valedictorian from Beloit Catholic High School in 1955. Barbara attended Prospect Hall Business College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After graduation, she worked as a private secretary at Beloit Corporation. During the summer of 1959, Barbara met Bill Hansen from Bangor, Maine while attending a work picnic. They married on May 14, 1960. They spent the first three years of their married life in the military, living in Aberdeen, MD and Benicia, CA before moving back to Beloit. In 1971, Bill and Barbara moved their family to Norwood, MA where she worked as a secretary at St. Catherine’s School. Fulfilling a dream to live by the ocean, Barbara and Bill moved their family to Rye, NH in 1982. Barbara served as the District Clerk and office manager at the Rye Water District for 20 years. She was very involved at St. Theresa’s Parish serving as a daily communicant, eucharistic minister and chair of the Bereavement Committee. Barbara is predeceased by her husband Bill who passed away in 2017 after 57 years of marriage. She is survived by her five children: Mary and her husband Jeff Nawrocki of Kittery, ME; Bill and his wife Patty of Johns Creek, GA; Margaret and her husband Bob of Dover, NH; Joe and his wife Tammy of Gorham, ME; Karen and her husband Larry of Westford, MA. Barbara was blessed with 15 grandchildren: Ryan, Nathan, Sean, Madison, Taylor, Nora, Ryker, Anna, Rachel, Alexx, Marika, Molly, Grace, John, Joey, and one great grandchild: Lincoln. Visitation will be held from 5-7pm on Friday, September 15, 2023 at the Remick and Gendron Funeral Home – Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 9 AM on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at St. Theresa Church, 815 Central Road, Rye Beach, NH 03870. Burial will follow in the Central Cemetery, Rye. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: New Generation 368 Portsmouth Avenue Greenland, NH 03804.

Barbara Alice Hansen

August 9, 1937 - September 7, 2023