Charlene Claypool Hansen ("Char"), beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2024, at the Pat Roche Hospice House in Hingham.

Char was born on November 19, 1945, in Duluth, Minnesota, and spent the last 34 years of her life on beautiful Cohasset Harbor with her husband, Larry, and their beloved dogs, most recently their yellow Lab, Georgia. Char was a familiar sight on her daily morning bike rides through town, greeting everyone she passed with her Seabird coffee in hand.

Char was preceded in death by her parents, James and Nancy Claypool, and survived by her loving husband, Larry; her sons, Thomas (wife Kathleen) of Cohasset and Tucker (wife Megan) of Hingham; eight cherished grandchildren, Elle, Jane, Thomas, Reese, Sophia, Brooke, Ben, and Luke; and her four siblings: James Claypool II, Carlyle Conrad, Daniel Claypool, and David Claypool.

Char attended Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut. During her senior year Christmas break in 1963, she returned to Duluth and attended a gathering sponsored by her father, hosting the visiting West Point hockey team. At this event, she met her future husband, Larry. After a five-year long-distance courtship, Char graduated from the University of Minnesota, and Larry returned home from Vietnam. They married in 1968 at West Point.

Char was grateful for her early experiences at Westover, where she developed self-confidence and leadership skills that laid the foundation for a successful career in various fields. In the early '70s Char and Larry were house parents at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley. In 1980, Char founded the Wayland Depot, a non-profit consignment shop for local craftsmen. From 1985-1987, she was the Director of the Meadowbrook Day Camp in Weston. From 1988-1994, she performed alumni development work at Beaver Country Day School and Noble and Greenough School. From 1994-2006, she worked at David L Babson Investment Management in the marketing group. From 2006 to her retirement in 2017, Char worked in client services at Seaward Management (now Prio Wealth) in Boston.

Char effortlessly abided by the golden rule and was uniquely gifted at making friends. She found something special in everyone she met and inspired others to be happy and to do good. Her spirit and zest for life were a shining example that brought out the best in all of us. Her presence will be deeply missed by her family and her many lifelong friends. Despite the challenges posed by Parkinson's disease, Char lived life to the fullest and fought to remain active until the end.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at St Stephen's Church, Cohasset, to be followed by a reception at the Red Lion Inn. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Pat Roche House https://www.nvna.org/pat-roche-hospice-home

Pat Roche House
86 Turkey Hill Road, Hingham MA 02043