Susan Soule Hansen

Susan S. Hansen passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at her home in Crawford, Colorado. She was 82 years old.

Susan was born in Portland, Maine to Eleanor and Wallace Soule. She grew up swimming and sailing on the Falmouth Foreside and attended Waynflete School in Portland. She completed her undergraduate education at Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She later received a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.

After graduating from Chatham College Susan married her first husband Butler (Larry) Cox. They began their family in the mountains of Maine, where Susan served as a social worker. Their love of the mountains led to a move to Aspen, Colorado after the birth of their sons Sam and Chris Cox. In Aspen, Susan worked as the secretary at Aspen Middle School and Town Administrator for Snowmass Village.

Susan met the love of her life, Richard Hansen, in 1979 while living in Aspen. The marriage blended two families, as Susan became the stepmother of Emily and Marne Hansen. The family enjoyed many adventurous years in Aspen skiing, backpacking, and white water rafting.

In 1983 Susan and Dick moved to Crawford, Colorado to fulfill a dream of operating a ranch. To support ranch life Susan began working as the Crawford Town Clerk. After a few years in Crawford, she became the Delta County Administrator and served in that role for over 20 years. After retirement from county service, Susan continued her role as a facilitator and community leader through her work with the U.S. Forest Service, Crawford Town Hall renovation group, Friends of the Crawford Library, and the Maher/Onion Valley Community Club.

Susan was a dedicated mother, community advocate, rancher, hiker, and skier. She loved ranch life and applying her New England values of hard work, resilience, and integrity to every endeavor. In recent years Susan could be found at yoga, on the pickleball court, at book club, skiing in Snowmass with her family, traveling with friends, or working on her beloved ranch.

Susan was a remarkable woman who influenced the lives of many. Her influence will continue to be felt through the projects she facilitated across Delta County and the Western Slope, the community members whom she mentored, and the family she loved so fiercely.

Preceded in death by Wallace and Eleanor Soule, her brother Wallace, Jr. and her husband Richard, Susan is survived by two sons Sam (Tara) Cox of Paonia, CO; Christopher Cox of Montrose, CO; Emily Hansen (Chris Cole) of Parker, CO; Marne (Kenny Gallup) Hansen of Castle Rock, CO; brother Charlie (Barbara) Soule of Falmouth, ME; brother Ben (Betsy) Soule of Yarmouth, ME; and sister Martha Boyd of Montpelier, VT. Susan is further survived by seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.

A community tribute will be held on Saturday, November 22nd at 1:00pm at Crawford Town Hall. A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Friends of Crawford Library at 545 Highway 92, Crawford, CO 81415.