On Monday, Jan. 1, Marie (Johannesen) Jansen, 93, of Bristol, widow of Haakon Dag Jansen, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.
Beloved daughter of Arthur and Hanne Tomine (Gundersen) Johannesen, Marie was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 30, 1930, and spent her earliest years in southern Norway before returning to Brooklyn at age seven. She quickly learned English and grew up active in her church and her Bay Ridge community, graduating from Fort Hamilton High School in 1948. She then worked in the financial sector in Manhattan and married her sweetheart, Haakon, on June 24, 1950, commencing over 66 years of wedded bliss until Haakon’s passing in 2016.
Marie and Haakon moved to Bristol in 1954 where she supported their homebuilding business and where they raised their three daughters. She enjoyed art, music, cinema, and mystery stories. She was unflaggingly adventurous, traveling extensively with her husband throughout their years together.
Thereafter Marie continued her travels and, as recently as last summer, at the age of 93, she flew to California to see two of her grandchildren. On the flight, Marie received a plane-wide ovation.
Her incredible cooking was appreciated by the many she welcomed to her home each Sunday (as well as on birthdays and every holiday). She ensconced her family in hand-knitted Norwegian sweaters, and provided them with an endless supply of love, support, wit, grit, and delighted and sincere attention. She was a sought-after companion.
A dearly loved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Marie is greatly missed by her family and friends, both here and in Norway. She is survived by three daughters: Lynn Hanson and her husband, William; Karen Casey and her husband, Steven; and Ellen Kuczenski, all of Bristol; her five grandchildren: Kristen Marie Kuczenski, James Jansen Casey, Kathryn Jansen Casey (Sam Barnard), Michael Karl Kuczenski (Elizabeth), and Karelyn Hildur Joakim (Matthew); and two great-grandsons: William Haakon Kuczenski and Daniel Arthur Kuczenski.
A celebration of Marie’s life will be held on Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Bristol. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church or to a charity of one’s choosing in Marie’s memory.
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.