July 23, 1950 - August 16, 2014

Wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt she loved her family deeply

Cheryl Bailey Hansen, age 64, passed away on August 16, 2014 at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born on July 23, 1950 in Alvin, Texas to John and Rose Bailey.

Cheryl grew up in Missouri City, Texas. She graduated from John Foster Dulles High in 1968 and then attended Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1972. Immediately after graduation she began working for Texas Children's Hospital as a neonatal intensive care nurse where she worked off and on for 10 years.

Cheryl married Thomas N. Hansen, MD in 1979 in San Francisco, California and they recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. Cheryl was a member of several Guilds at Seattle Children's Hospital and was a wonderful hostess who enjoyed the opportunity to entertain friends of Children's Hospital in her home. She was a long distance runner, who completed 14 marathons during her running career, and a struggling but persistent golfer. She was passionate about all sports, professional, college, and high school, and rarely missed a Husky basketball or football game.

Cheryl loved her family deeply and was most happy when she was spending time with them. She was an active grandmother who created special memories with each of her four grandchildren. She also loved her Dachshunds with all of her heart and was often seen at the dog park throwing the ball for her dog, Sammy.

Cheryl is survived by her spouse Thomas Hansen, her son, William, who is starting his second year of law school at Seattle University, her stepdaughter Elaine Cavazos and her husband Edward Cavazos, of Austin, Texas, her brother James Bailey and his wife Susie of Port Lucia, Florida and her sister-in-law, Mary Mowrey and brother-in-law Dan of Wichita Falls, Texas. She was a doting grandmother to Elaine's four children, Maria, Christina, Julia, and Jack. Cheryl had nine nieces and nephews: Brett and Brooke Bailey from Johnny Bailey (now deceased), Blake, Kendall and Emily Rose from her brother James Bailey and Sara, John, Michael, and Elizabeth from Mary and Dan Mowrey.

She will also be deeply missed by her full-time caregiver, Dar St Clair. Cheryl was preceded in death by her parents Rose and John Bailey and her older brother Johnny.

FUNERAL INFORMATION

A Celebration of Life ceremony for Cheryl will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 8501 SE 40th Street, Mercer Island on Friday, August 22 at 5:30 PM. Friends and family who are not able to attend the services may sign the online guest book at: www.asacredmoment.com.

If you are inclined to leave a message on Cheryl's Memorial Guestbook (see link upper right) we encourage you to use this prompt: "We'll remember Cheryl when..."

DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Seattle Children's Hospital - Cheryl Hansen Memorial Fund. The donations will fund research on preterm birth.

Memorial

Petals of Her Life

As beautiful as a rose to see,
Was her life she lived so gracefully.
She made things precious by her touch,
Her selfless love lives on in each of us.
The petals of her life fell one by one.
Each a gift of her heart,
'Til there were none.
Yet her radiance blooms once again
In fields of glory without end.

Author Unknown

Butterfly

As you danced in the light with joy,
love lifted you. As you brushed against
this world so gently, you lifted us.

T.C. Ring