Elizabeth M. Hanson

Elizabeth M. Hanson, 93, passed away peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May 31, 2024, at Davis Hospice Center, Cheyenne Wyoming. Born Myrtle Elizabeth Humphries on August 13, 1930, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, she was the beloved eldest daughter of Arthur (“Arch”) and Rosie (Philpott) Humphries and younger sister Winnie (Ninny-Buns), whom Elizabeth loved dearly. Raised in a quiet, loving home, she was surrounded by extended family who emigrated from England to Canada with her parents. Her childhood summers were spent (with little sister Winnie) in rural Ontario on her aunt and uncle’s working farm. Elizabeth, ever a city girl, laughed at her memories of fluttering “attack” chickens, “freeing” all the dairy cows from the barn, the traveling farm crews, and her hardworking aunt – dominating an enormous woodstove. Back in the city, Elizabeth, Winnie, and cousins, played with dolls, modeling, jumping rope, or boxing lessons from “Daddy.”

After high school and some temporary jobs, Elizabeth decided to seek specialized, non-secretarial business training with a local business school. She mastered the complex Felt and Tarrant 72-key comptometer/calculator and accepted accounting position at Ogilvy’s swanky department store, but after two years of low wages, few English-speaking job prospects, long winters, and hay fever, Elizabeth was easily encouraged by a West coast cousin to move to Southern California where “…better paying jobs for women are endless, hay fever is unheard of, and the weather is sunny and warm…” She packed a suitcase and headed west on a 3-day train journey.

Weeks after starting full-time at Union Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles, Elizabeth met Dan Kanaioupuni Parker.  Their love story began when he worked the swing shift desk across from her day shift desk and nervously asked her out to dinner as she was clocking out. She was fascinated with Dan’s Hawaiian culture and ethnically diverse friends. Dan owned a multicultural dance and entertainment studio by day, where he introduced Elizabeth to all the lively rhythms of Asia and the Pacific islands to include teaching his soon to be fiancé how to dance (and teach) them all! Dan knew many restaurant owners and introduced Elizabeth to his fun, entertaining world. They married shortly after and of course, honeymooned in Hawaii!

The Parkers resumed California married life, working, running their dance studio, and buying a new home. They had one daughter, Debra. Eventually they moved to Honolulu, Hawaii to be near Dan’s ailing father, Stephen, who adored Elizabeth. She worked in several temporary bookkeeping positions until she landed a prime accounting position with Standard Oil Company in Hawaii.  A few years later, the Parkers moved back to Southern California when Elizabeth was quickly promoted and transferred to Standard Oil (now Chevron Oil) in Los Angeles. Sadly, the stresses of relocation and family losses resulted in divorce though Elizabeth and Dan remained friendly.

Elizabeth, a loving dedicated mother responded to her situation with renewed emphasis on work and raising Debra. Another company reshuffle sent Elizabeth to Northern California with a promotion. She kept her eye on a better family future but managed a good routine of work, school, fun, and hugs.

Happily, Elizabeth found love again. It was a blind date, and she was cautious as “Mr. Date” Wayne Hanson was a Chevron tech from the oil refining lab. “…He’s thoughtful, kind, and funny” she said to her uncertain teenager. Elizabeth married soon after sharing almost 40 years of easy-going, cherished memories to include, learning the 2step, adopting the best dog ever (Tiffy), remodeling their home, and spur of the moment travels (wine country weekends, Hawaii, British, Columbia).

Following her daughter’s USAF enlistment, Elizabeth finally became a US citizen, a long-desired goal. She also officially (and happily) switched around her first name. (No more “Myrtle the turtle who wears a purple girdle,” school kid taunts erased. Done). She loved traveling to witness her child’s promotions where she sang her new country’s national anthem, with her hand on her very proud heart.

When Elizabeth retired from Chevron, she and Wayne built a small niche catering business, fueled by her passion and specialized training for unique cuisine, presentation, and hospitality. Her proudest catering moment was successfully mastering kosher dishes for a bar-mitzvah! Diligent research, practice, and chats with a rabbi were the key. She adored cooking, entertaining or setting an elegant dinner table, especially for frequent family celebrations to include her sister’s family!

Both retired Elizabeth and Wayne moved to San Diego area, seeking solace in ocean breezes as he faced his battle with cancer. They remodeled a house for ease and Elizabeth dedicated herself to researching a cure for his cancer while doctors poked and prodded. She was with him as he breathed his last.

After months of coaxing, Elizabeth sold her huge, lonely home and moved permanently to Cheyenne, to be with her daughter. She stopped smoking “cold turkey”, enjoyed new mother-daughter quests such as food-sampling (chocolate, chocolate, more chocolate), day trips (well, just Cheyenne Frontier Days), afternoon naps, holidays, hugs, love, and giggling. Though Elizabeth’s memories and health were fading, she quietly persevered with wit and kindness.  Easy going, always smiling, she relished debating politics, hula, or nutrition. If you never met her, God gave us a good one: a generous, sassy, continually thoughtful friend.

Elizabeth will be remembered for her funny ironic observations, political chats, sweet praises, hospitality, comical storytelling with very dramatic body language, classic sense of style, compassion for children and military veterans, and her steadfast, “all-in” devotion to her family and her Heavenly Father. She leaves behind an inspirational legacy where compassion mixed with laughter are gifts freely given.

She is preceded in death by her parents Arch and Rose Humphries, her beloved little sister Winnie Dickenson-Pendley, husbands Dan K. Parker and Wayne H. Hanson and beloved in-laws, God Parents Stan and Sissy Davis and their three daughters, Rose (Owen) Maloney, Marge (Tom) Clark, Lillian (Richard) Lockwood

Elizabeth is survived by her loving daughter, Debra Parker of Cheyenne, nephew Timothy (Jan) Dickenson and family, and many other distant California, Canadian, and Hawaiian relatives. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Davis Hospice in Cheyenne, Alzheimer’s Association, or any charity for the care of children or disabled military veterans.