PORTLAND – Dorothy T. Hansen, formerly of Gray and Brunswick, died Monday, May 23, at her home after a battle with brain cancer.

She was born on April 25, 1939, in Edmore, Mich., to the Rev. Dolliver and Mrs. Ruth Thogerson. Most of her young life was spent in Falmouth before moving to West Branch, Iowa, where she attended high school. While she stayed in the Midwest to earn her degree in music education at Iowa Teachers College, her family relocated back to Falmouth.

It was on one of her visits home that she met her future husband, Hans M. Hansen III. She and Skip were married in 1960, and made their home in Gray. In 1990, they moved to Brunswick. After her husband died in 1998, she moved to Portland.

She is well-known and loved throughout southern Maine for her musical gifts and talents. She was the harpist for the Portland Symphony Orchestra in the 1970s, and provided music for numerous weddings, musicals and celebrations. She loved sharing her talent and had many fine harp students. Her music led her to be involved with many local music groups, clubs and ensembles. She was honored most recently to serve her fellow musicians as president of the Rossini Club.

In addition to her musical career, she was a music teacher in the Gray/New Gloucester school system for a semester, and also enjoyed working in retail at Jordan Marsh and Macy’s, as well as selling fine jewelry at Fairbanks, Frost and Lowe.

The greatest joy in her life, outside of her family, was her faith. A lifelong Christian, she was a very active member at Emmaus Lutheran Church where she served the church as choir director for more than 25 years. She participated in Bible studies, taught Sunday school, served on committees and gave her time freely in any way she could. She was an example to all around her of how to live her faith.

She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Ruth Thogerson, of Huxley, Iowa; brothers, David Thogerson of Ames, Iowa, Paul Thogerson of Davis, Ill., and Mark Thogerson of Whitehall, Mich.; daughters, Heidi Western of Burlington, Vt., and Vivika DeNegre of Guilford, Conn.; son, Fritz Hansen, of Westbrook; seven grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and numerous friends.

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