On 7/29/24 Karen Hanson peacefully and silently slipped through the thin veil into the other side in the home she shared with her husband of 42 years, Frank Thacker, who will dearly and deeply miss her.

Karen was born August 1, 1938 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Harvey and Madeline Hanson. Life led her eastward and she eventually settled in Rhode Island where she met and married Frank. They settled in Westerly, RI in the 1990’s and have enjoyed a beautiful, loving marriage.

Karen was a woman wise in the ways of psyche and soul. This was best manifested by her success as a psychotherapist and a certified spiritual director. She was a life-long learner with many personal interests and deeply committed to many community programs and activities. She was a woman who lived and moved and had her being in Divine Love as she sought truth, strived to do good, and always walked in beauty.

She will be profoundly missed not only by Frank, but also her daughters Holly Hoak and her husband Steven, Heidi Schwieger, Heather Dodge and her husband Andrew, her son Hans Schwieger and his wife Pamela, and her stepchildren Jeff Thacker and his wife Jeannie and Erin Brower and her husband Pat. As well as her 15 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren and her brother Bruce Hanson and his wife Carol. She was pre-deceased by her infant son Dirk Schwieger.

As shared by Frank…

Someone once asked me what I liked most about Karen. After reflecting on a rather long list of her qualities, gifts and attributes I kept coming back to her smile.

It was such a warm welcoming expression of her radiant essence that you couldn’t help but feel accepted, loved and embraced by her.

Oh yes, she did have her dark side. But it was like a passing cloud that quickly moved on and was soon replaced by her keen sense of humor and her positive perspective of life.

Karen’s passing has left a deep hole in the hearts of many. Perhaps we can begin to fill that hole by following in her footsteps of acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly in the ways of Divine Love.

Karen’s family express their deep and heartfelt gratitude to all the staff at HopeHealth hospice, especially Gina and Diana and also to her private duty nurses Donna and Kathy. The family will hold a private funeral service August 3rd. If you should feel so inclined, please send a donation in Karen’s name to: HopeHealth Hospice, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904