Lois Hansen Demers

We regret to inform you that the world's sweetest person has died. Lois Hansen Demers, 94, died peacefully on Friday, April 21, 2023 at Portsmouth Regional Hospital with family by her side. She was born on July 12, 1928 to Alfred and Anna Hansen and grew up in East Hartford, CT. In the summer of 1948, Lois met Walter Demers, Jr. on Hampton Beach. He would forever recall the striking black bathing suit she wore that day, while she would always remember how he pretended his mother's convertible was his own. They married in 1952, and set an entirely unrealistic standard for a happy marriage over the next 65 years. Upon her marriage, Lois left her job as a secretary with the Connecticut State Police — a loss that continues to haunt the department — and became a homemaker and mother. The young family lived in Lawrence, then Andover, before settling on Great Pond Road in North Andover in 1962. They purchased a cottage on Plaice Cove in Hampton in 1964, which became their summer home away from home. She and Walter retired to that beloved beach property in 1990, and for decades, it was the cherished gathering place for their large family, who couldn't get enough of the sea, sand, and unbeatable company of Lois and Walt. Though she wasn't a frequent traveler or college graduate, she was intensely curious, even into her 90s. Lois had a lifelong fascination with maps and geography, kept up closely with political affairs, and put her ample vocabulary to good use by regularly beating Walter in their nightly Scrabble games. (At one point, the running tally was something like 750-something wins for Lois versus 740-something wins for Walter.) Her prized athletic achievement was hitting a hole-in-one on the 11th hole at Abenaqui when she was 64 years old. Lois possessed a natural beauty, a wicked sense of humor, an infectious laugh, a deep-seated stubborn streak, and a major sweet tooth (though was strangely ahead of her time by insisting on healthy eating for her kids...a standard she reversed for her grandchildren.) Her special essence, though — the thing that can't be adequately conveyed in this text — is how treasured she made everyone in her life feel. "When Lois asks how you are," her late brother-in-law Bob Phinney once observed, "She really wants to know." She had an uncommon gift for making her loved ones feel intensely loved, seen, cared for, and important. This extended to the cards she wrote, too — from her exquisite cursive penmanship to the triple underlining of words she *really* wanted to emphasize to the heartfelt sentiments conveyed — her notes felt like gifts in their own regard. After Walter's passing in 2018, Lois spent the last few years of her life a mile down the road in complete comfort at daughter Karen and son-in-law Ron's home. She was surrounded by pets (a joy she had never been able to fully indulge), ate delicious meals prepared by Chef Ron, enjoyed the company of her buddy and grandson Trevor, and was frequently visited and cared for by her children, who, over the years, had become sort of like the best friends Lois needed. To the very end, she set examples in grace, class, and modesty. Lois is survived by her five children and their spouses: Holly Smart and husband Greg of Epping, Walter Demers III and wife Jane of Andover, Susan Lawlor and husband Joe of North Hampton, Ellen O’Kane and husband Brooks of Hampton, and Karen Boucher and husband Ron of Hampton. She also leaves behind fourteen grandchildren (who made especially good use of their lifetime "beach passes"), nine great-grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, five step-great-grandchildren, five nieces and nephews, and two sisters-in-law: Joyce Phinney of Seabrook and Ann Hansen of Andover. A special mention must be made for the dear friends — Lori, Cynthia, Laura, and Kara — who served as dedicated caregivers during Lois's final years. In addition to her parents, husband, and brother-in-law, Lois is predeceased by her brother Richard “Dick” Hansen and her nephew Allan Rogers Jr. Her last words to her daughter Susan, the day before she passed, will no doubt ring familiar to anyone who's exchanged goodbyes with Lois: "Take good, good care, do what makes you and your family happy, and just be safe!"

Lois Hansen Demers

July 12, 1928 - April 21, 2023