Cover photo for Dixie Lee Hansen's Obituary
Dixie Lee Hansen Profile Photo

Dixie Lee Hansen

April 18, 1936 — February 23, 2020

Dixie Lee Hansen

Dixie L. (Hovde) Hansen (1936-2020) passed away peacefully on February 23,2020, at the age of 83.  Dixie was born in Bellingham and lived in Whatcom County her entire life.

Dixie graduated from Bellingham High School in 1954. She began working as a teller at Seafirst Bank.  She met her future husband, Robert E. Hansen, on a blind date and got married in 1956 in a beautiful wedding gown that she made herself.  Together they raised three children.  She was a stay-at-home mom during the childrens’ early years, and she stayed extra busy running the “Trails End Resort” at Birch Bay, along with Robert.  They moved to Bellingham after selling the motel and she returned to work delivering mail for the U.S. Post Office.  Later she worked in the Bellingham Police Records Department.  Dixie and Bob loved the outdoors and took as many days as they could cruising the San Juan and Gulf Islands.  It was about this time that she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, but she didn’t let it slow her down. She and Bob were able to travel abroad and see much of Europe and Africa. Back home they loved traveling in their motorhome, always taking the backroads to get a true feel for the country.  Throughout her life she loved reading and learning, she kept many scrapbooks and filled them with articles that she found interesting, from world news and politics, to health and raising children.  She loved crafting and excelled in ceramics, sewing, knitting, quilting, and cross stitch. Mostly, she loved her family and friends, spending as much time with them as possible.  She began to slow down after her additional diagnosis of Alzheimer's/dementia approximately 10 years ago.  Her devoted spouse cared for her as long as he could, then caregivers came in to keep her at home.  We want to thank all of the wonderful caregivers who loved her and took the time to know the “real” Dixie.  She kept her feisty spirit to the end.

Dixie was preceded in death by her husband Robert, who passed less than two months ago; her parents, Marvin and Tessie Hovde, and her brothers M. Jack Hovde and Ronald Hovde. She is survived by son Douglas (Debra) Hansen; daughter Karen (Linton) Petersen; son Richard Hansen; grandchildren Kyle Hansen, Tyler Hansen, Katelin (Wade) Nelson, and Dane Petersen; great-granddaughter Ellee Nelson, born 7 weeks before her passing.

Please join us for Dixie’s Celebration of Life on Saturday March 14th at their neighborhood clubhouse, 1201 Northwind Circle, from 1:00-4:00 pm.  In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s  Research.

A celebration of life will be held for Dixie Hansen, who passed away last year. Please join us for a beach barbecue in her honor, where we can remember her in one of her favorite places, lunch will be served. Saturday, August 28, 2021, 1:00 PM, 8332 Birch Bay Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 (her previous home at Birch Bay). We hope you will be able to join us.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dixie Lee Hansen, please visit our flower store.

Past Services

A Celebration of Her Life

Saturday, August 28, 2021

1:00 - 4:00 pm

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