Dorothy Mae Hansen

Dorothy (Dottie) Mae (Marineau) Hansen, 82, of Green Bay, WI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at the Jack and Engrid Meng Unity Hospice Residence.

Dottie will be lovingly remembered by many. Including her husband of 61 years, Richard as well as her two devoted daughters Pamela Prefontaine (Steve) and Dede Mattek.  Dottie was an adoring grandmother and the ultimate spoiler of five, Dani Smith (David), Zachary Prefontaine, Andrew Prefontaine, Tyler Mattek (Ashley) and Chelsea Prefontaine (Kevin Rhodes).  She took immense joy in her great grandchildren, Ethan, William and Quinn Prefontaine and loved talking about the additional great grandchild on the way and due in the Fall.  She’ll also be remembered by her cousins Dean and Noelle Mudrak as well as her special “Group” of friends who have been by her side over the years.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Margaret Marineau as well as her cousin and best friend, Ruth Ann Mudrak.

Dottie was born on December 5, 1938 in Tomah, WI.  She grew up with two loving parents in Marinette, WI and graduated from Marinette High School in 1956.  Dottie was a very proud graduate of Bellin Nursing School, class of 1959.  Dottie and Richard were married on November 8, 1958. With Richard being an officer in the US Navy, Dottie’s life took her on adventures she’d never dreamed of.  Shortly after graduating nursing school, Dottie set sail on her own to meet Rich where he was stationed in Guam, worried the entire way that Rich would not be there to meet her ship.  Spoiler alert: he was.  While stationed in Guam, Dottie gave birth to her first daughter.  From there, the Navy took them to Washington DC where their second daughter was born.  Followed by Norfolk, VA and Yokahama, Japan. After Rich left active duty they moved back to Wisconsin where they raised their family in La Crosse and Green Bay.

Dottie worked as a Community Educator and then Clinic Director for Planned Parenthood in Green Bay before retiring to assume the job she was born for, full-time grandmother.  Dottie was an avid camper, cruiser (I’d be remiss not to mention that she was a Diamond Member on Royal Caribbean), lover of Broadway musicals, yellow roses and the PGA, especially Tiger Woods in his Sunday red.  She looked forward to her annual family vacations to Myrtle Beach in the summers and the “Grandkid Trips” she and Rich took with the kids.  A member of Bethany United Methodist Church in Green Bay, she sang in the choir and was a youth group leader.

The family would like to thank the medical staff at Bellin Hospital Emergency Center and the 4th Floor Medical Unit.  The nurses were so kind and patient giving updates over the phone to a concerned group of family members who couldn’t be by her side during the current health crisis. 

A very special thank you to the staff at Unity Hospice, who ensured she was comfortable and well cared for in her final days.  A celebration of life will be held later this summer when conditions permit.  Expressions of sympathy, memories and photos may be shared with Dottie’s family on her tribute page at www.lyndahl.com

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