Peggy C. Hansen, 65, a resident of the Town of LaGrange since 1987 and formerly of New York City, died on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at her home following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in New York City on March 21, 1949, she was the daughter of the late Sidney and Beatrice Levy Cohen. Peggy received her BA in English from Connecticut College, and her MS in Elementary Education from SUNY New Paltz.

In the 1970s and 80s, Peggy worked in the nonprofit professional theater in New York City, first as assistant director of the International Theater Institute of the U.S., and then as the producing director of the Young Playwrights Festival. After moving to Poughkeepsie, Peggy was delighted to become part of the Noxon Road School community in the Arlington Central School District, where she taught fourth grade for 21 years, served on district committees, and conducted summer research projects on student achievement.
She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends, learning about music, reading and playing word games and bridge. Her interests also included early American history; she traveled to historic sites, took courses, and read about the period in the hope of bringing it to life for her students. Her favorite places included the beautiful Hudson Valley, and the ocean, where she spent many happy weeks of her life in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Southeastern Maine; and Cape May, New Jersey.

On December 12, 1971 in the Bronx, Peggy married her soul mate, David M. Hansen, who survives at home. Their marriage of almost 43 years was built on love, communication, commitment and growth. She is also survived by her beloved son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Tonya Hansen; her adored grandsons, Julian and Milo; her brother and sister-in-law, James and Joanne Cohen; her stepsisters, Susan Liberman and Bobbie Crume and her husband John; her nieces and nephews, Terri Cohen and Barak Tulin, Brett and Gwen Cohen; several cousins and MANY friends. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Peter Cohen; her stepmother, Phyllis Cohen; and her stepsister, Dodye Schweitzer.

On Saturday at 10am, friends and family will gather at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. There will be a celebration of Peggy's life beginning at 11am.

Memorial donation may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research or Sprout Creek Farm. For driving directions, online condolences and memorial donations, please visit Peggy's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.