Eunice Hanson has departed the physical realm, but her spirit lives on for her family, friends and the countless lives and organizations she and her husband, C. Lee Hanson, touched.
The Hansons suffered an indescribable human loss when their son, daughter-in-law and toddler granddaughter died after the plane they were traveling in crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
Peter, Sue Kim and Christine, 2, boarded United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Lee and Eunice watched in horror on TV as Flight 175, carrying their loved ones, crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. A short time earlier, at 8:46 a.m., a plane later identified as hijacked Flight 11, had crashed into the North Tower
I wrote an article for the Courier about Eunice for the Sept. 11, 2021 issue, Still Seeking Justice for Family Lost on 9/11. On the day of the actual tragedy, 20 years before, I had been senior editor of the Monroe Courier and sat next to the editor of the then-print Easton Courier, part of Hometown Publications. I was the mother of school-age children at the time, as were some of my colleagues.
We agonizingly empathized with the Hansons whose horrific tragedy touched us deeply. I have felt a deep connection to them ever since. Another friend of mine lost her adult son that day and never recovered from the unspeakable loss.
Although devastated over the horrific loss, the Hansons turned their grief into action and never gave up. Friends Dori Wollen and Beverlee Dacey recalled their unwavering courage after Eunice’s death in an interview on Channel 12, “‘She never wanted to be seen as a victim.’ Friends remember Easton 9/11 advocate who lost family members on Sept. 11.”
You can watch the interview at the following link: ‘She never wanted to be seen as a victim.’ Friends remember Easton 9/11 advocate who lost family members on Sept. 11.
Close friends lovingly recalled Eunice’s grit, generosity and grace in a letter, “Beacon of Goodness and Selflessness,” posted below.
There are experiences and people woven into the tapestries of our lives. On Monday April 28, one of those threads was tightly knotted and cut with the passing of Eunice Stylos Hanson. For several decades, Eunice and her husband Lee lived in Easton, CT. It was there, on September 11 2001, that their lives changed forever. Many of us supported them in their grief with the tragic loss their son Peter, daughter-in-law Sue, and 2-year-old granddaughter Christine. Lee and Eunice became the face of 9/11 for lower Fairfield County as they shared their story, testified at Guantanamo, engaged in civic and philanthropic activities, and more.
However, Eunice Hanson was more than a “face” and refused to assume the role of victim.
Rather, she embodied virtues that she wove into the threads of our personal tapestries. Eunice taught us how to be strong amidst life’s challenges. Her generosity and love knew no boundaries in her support of family, friends, and community. Above all, Eunice found hope and joy in her commitment to charitable endeavors and support of others.
Like the phoenix, she embodied an expression of courage and spiritual renewal, all the while maintaining a warmth, sense of humor, and grace that will be a lasting impression in our minds and hearts. Even at the hospital in her final days, she left us all chuckling when we suggested she rest. “Rest, why do that? Where I’m going that’s all I’m going to do!”
There are many ways that one processes tragedy and grief. Eunice chose a route uniquely her own, setting an impactful course for us to follow and cementing her status as our community’s matriarch. Though her voice is now silent, her messages live on. May we “Never Forget” Eunice and thank her for being a beacon of goodness and selflessness.
Beverlee Dacey
Anne Manusky
Liz Maiorano
Dori Wollen
June Logie
Paula Barker
State Senator Tony Huang and former First Selectman Bob Lessler also paid respects in remarks, provided below.
Hwang: “A Legacy of Service, Courage, and Remembrance”
With deep fondness, admiration, and gratitude, we honor the life of Eunice Hanson — a beloved friend, devoted public servant, and moral compass for our Easton community.
As Easton’s longtime Registrar of Voters, Eunice served with distinction, ensuring the integrity of our democracy with diligence, fairness, and heartfelt care for every citizen she encountered. Her steady hand, warm smile, and kind words made her not just a trusted official, but a cherished presence in the life of our town.
Beyond her years of service to Easton, Eunice demonstrated extraordinary courage and compassion as an unwavering advocate for the victims and families affected by the tragedy of September 11, 2001. She stood as a fierce voice for remembrance, dedicating herself to honoring the lives lost and reminding all of us that the grief and consequences of that day remain with us still.
I am proud and humbled to have called Eunice a friend. Her grace, strength, and enduring commitment to doing what is right will continue to inspire all who knew her. Though we will deeply miss her presence, her spirit lives on — in every act of service, in every gesture of kindness, and in our shared promise never to forget.
May her memory forever be a blessing, and may we honor her legacy by living with the same compassion, courage, and devotion to others that she so fully embodied.
— State Senator Tony Hwang
Lessler: “Dedicated and Deeply Committed to Our Community”
Eunice, and her late husband, Lee, were dedicated and deeply committed long time residents of our community. Together, they raised their family in Easton, gave generously of themselves to our local government, and were outspoken advocates for a vision of our town in which they deeply believed.
I worked with them personally to develop an early plan for a 9/11 memorial highlighting their horrific personal loss that day. With our differing approaches, we sat in their house working together to advance the project. While we could not bridge the gap then, Eunice and Lee were nothing but kind, courteous and understanding.
Eunice exemplified what it means to belong to a community and to invest yourself wholly in its wellbeing. She will be missed.
— Former Selectman Bob Lessler
A Symbol of Healing and Connection
The memorial garden of the Easton Congregational Church has installed a wind phone next to its historic sanctuary. A symbol of healing and connection, the wind phone was placed in a quiet, contemplative space designed to support healing, memory and connection for all who visit.
As Elizabeth Boyce noted, “While the Easton wind phone is dedicated to the memory of Joseph Anthony Peloso IV and Carlo Minasi, it is also installed in honor of long-time Congregational Church member Eunice Hanson, who strongly felt a wind phone in the Memorial Garden would offer solace to those struggling with grief in our community.”
