Karen Smith Hansen

Karen Smith Hansen, 86, of Beaufort, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by family on Thursday, May 29, 2025.

A memorial service to honor Karen’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 21st at Atlantic United Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. Paul Harris and Rev. Rufus Buckner. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Karen will be laid to rest privately at Atlantic Community Cemetery.

Karen was born on July 16, 1938, to the late Roma and William B. Smith of Atlantic, NC. Karen grew up in a loving family with two younger brothers and many first cousins. She graduated as valedictorian from Atlantic High School, then graduated from Norfolk General Hospital School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. Always looking for the next adventure in life, she joined the Navy as a nurse and was assigned to the Naval Hospital at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL.

Soon after her arrival she cared for a young marine corps aviation cadet who had injured his ankle in parachute training. The two fell in love and were married shortly afterwards at the Methodist Church in Atlantic, NC. Marine Corps orders took Karen and the late Donald Larry Hansen to Santa Ana, California where they made lifelong friends and started a family.

After the Marine Corps, Karen and Larry moved to Newnan, GA and settled into the life of a nurse and wife of a Delta Air Line pilot. She had three sons, Kevin, Chris, and John. Karen was very active in the Newnan community running the Junior Service League, playing competitive tennis, and volunteering at school events. She thoroughly enjoyed entertaining friends, hosting many parties and delighting her quests with freshly caught Core Sound shrimp, oysters, and jumping mullets.

Karen loved traveling, whether it be flying to Europe for a cruise down a river or taking an RV trip from North Carolina to Alaska and back. Wherever her travels took her, she was always with family or close friends.

Throughout her fulfilling life of experiences and travels, Karen always enjoyed being Down East with family and friends the most. She loved her life in Beaufort and enjoyed sharing her time playing bridge with friends and visiting family in Davis and Atlantic. She was an amazing mother, wife and friend and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Karen is survived by her three sons and their wives, Kevin and Jennifer Hansen, Chris and Laura Hansen, and John and Alison Hansen; her brother, Stephen Smith and his wife Patricia; her grandchildren Eva, Kevin, Eric, William, Josie, Grace, Smith, Polly, Jacob; and her niece and her family, Ginny, Marty, Mandi and Bryson.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Larry Hansen; her parents, William B. Smith and Roma Smith; and her brother, William Finley Smith.

As an expression of sympathy, flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made to Atlantic United Methodist Church, 146 School Dr., Atlantic, NC 28511.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.