Donald William Hansen, Esq

Don was the loving husband of Lindy Hansen of Quincy and the beloved father of Kirsten and Britt Hansen, as well as the proud grandfather of Jack William O’Connell.

Born in Hanover, Don was the son of Sophy (Church) Hansen and the late Harry C. Hansen.  Donald was a 1968 graduate of Hanover High School where he was class president, and a 1972 Graduate of Rutgers University. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Northeastern 1976 and a J.D. from Suffolk University in 1983. He lived in Boston, South Weymouth, and Quincy before settling in Norwell for over thirty years and moving to West Quincy early last year.

Don worked for the City of Quincy as both Personnel Director and Assistant City Solicitor before opening his own law practice where he enjoyed developing relationships with clients for over thirty years. In addition to his private practice, Don worked as counsel at New England Medical Center. In his spare time, Don traveled widely with his family including visiting Scandinavia to track his ancestors’ roots and France to follow the footsteps of his great uncle during World War I.  An avid tennis and basketball player in High School, Don continued to share his love for both sports with his daughters and their peers as a coach. Ever curious, he was always reading and discussing politics with his family. He loved to bake and was especially fond of fruit pies which he loved to make after an annual blueberry or apple picking outing with his wife and daughters.

After a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2006, Don faced his health challenges with strength, grace, and resilience and partnered with Boston University to contribute to movement studies for Parkinson’s to help other patients learn to cope with their diagnoses and improve their symptoms.

Over the past year and a half, Don enjoyed getting to know his new grandson, Jack. Don had an eloquence and a quick wit that continued to bring tears of laughter to his family, even in his final days.

Don will be missed deeply for his positivity, kindness, sense of humor, and loving nature. He loved summer and the ocean, recently saying, “I try to do something different on the first day of every summer.” His family hopes to carry that love for life in honor of Don’s memory.

Don is survived by his wife, Lindy (Arnold) Hansen of Quincy, his daughter Kirsten Hansen and her husband Gary Godinho of Boston, his daughter Britt Hansen and her husband Patrick O’Connell of Boston, his grandson Jack William O’Connell of Boston, his mother, Sophy Hansen of Hingham, his twin sister Deborah Hansen- Hollenberg (predeceased by her late husband Dr. Norm Hollenberg) of Brookline, his brother Peter Hansen and his wife Sharon of Hanson, his brother John Hansen and his wife Janis  of Eastham, his nephews Christian Hansen of Kingston, Dana Hansen of Plymouth, his niece Julie DiCicco of Holliston and his sister-in-law Elaine Guinta and her husband Nick of The Villages, FL and niece Elizabeth Boeheim of Missoula, Montana as well as many cousins, extended family, and friends.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, February 6th from 4-7 PM at the Sullivan Funeral Home, 551 Washington Street, Rte 53, Hanover. A memorial service will be held on Friday February 7th at 11 AM at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 17 Church St, Hanover. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Don’s name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research, to the attention of Donation Processing, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014. https://tribute.michaeljfox.org/tribute-page.php?id=1415&np=true