I attended graduate school at UC Berkeley  in History with Coleen.  She was brilliant, intense, and deeply engaged with the world of ideas.  To my colleagues I was an acquaintance , but I considered Coleen one  of my few friends from those years. Conversations with Coleen were such a great consolation in graduate school--it meant a great deal to talk about life and not shop.   It truly grieves me to hear of her passing.   

I went to high school with Coleen, where we sang in the same choir. She was brilliant, talented, and funny. She made concerts, trips, and other events even more memorable. I am so sorry to hear of her passing.

I didn't know Coleen all that well. I met her through the House Rabbit Society LinkedIn group. She was very passionate about bunnies and educating others about bunnies. That's rare in people. I host a bunny themed podcast and she was set up to be my guest. I hadn't heard from her and when I went to message her when I saw the news of her passing. Her last message to me was congratulating me on my wedding and looking forward to the podcast. I wanted to show off her awesome work with bunnies to my audience. Still saddens me to this day that I didn't get to show more people her amazing work with bunnies. She deserved to be publicly acknowledged for her work with bunnies. To all her friends and family, my condolences go out to you.

I met and became "Facebook Friend" with Coleen on Facebook . . .  her postings and comments always brought a joy . . .  I looked forward to seeing and reading her ad commenting back with her . . . and i'm now reminded of a line from an old James Taylor song FIRE AND RAIN . . . "but I always thought that i'd see you one more time again . . . "   my prayers are for her family experiencing her loss . . . but as Saint John Chrysostom once wrote: "those we love and lose move to another place  . .thy move even closer . . . because now they live in your heart."  and now you can speak to Coleen without needing a phone, or internet . . just a prayer and she hears you and I there with you. as we sing in the Eastern Church: "Vichnaya Pamyat" - Eternal Memory.

I am so heartbroken for you in the passing of your beautiful daughter Coleen and want you to know you're in my heart and prayers.

Charlene Westerberg Hodges

I met Coleen at the House Rabbit Society when I adopted my first bun.  She didn't live far from me in Berkeley and I visited her and her spunky dwarfs often. Coleen gave me sound advise and help when my bun seemed ill. We went to see "Medea" at UC Berkeley put on by the Abbey Theater Group from Dublin. Afterward I went outside and cried. I think she thought that was a bit much but never said so. I was happy to reconnect with her on Facebook and was impressed with her intellect and her spirituality. Her absence is felt.

Her family and loved ones are in my prayers.  May she rest ever in peace.

MY CONDOLENCES TO COLEEN'S FAMILY. SHE WAS A REGULAR ON FACEBOOK WITH HER LOVE FOR HER BUNNIES. I COULD TELL SHE WAS A PERSON OF GOOD HONOR AND QUALITY. GOD BLESS FOR SHE IS WITH ALL OUR LOST BUNS..

Coleen was a dear friend and a fellow activist for house rabbits. She was an amazing and very intelligent person. Ruhe in Frieden. Wir werden Dich und Deinen Enthusiasms sehr vermissen. Until we meet again, my friend.

Coleen was very dear to my heart. I met her many years ago when I worked at the Rabbit Shelter in Richmond Ca. She worked at UC Berkeley and came to the Shelter and volunteered many days a week. We became very close. My life at the time was not healthy/good (?) Coleen was my lifeline. I visited her in her apartment that I loved ( so 1930's) and it was a safe haven for me visiting and sometimes staying with her and her bunnies. She always seemed to have ornery bunnies!
We had a falling out though, my fault, and didn't talk for years. When I moved to Missouri and a new life, she contacted me and we became fast friends again. I felt that this time I was sometimes a solace for her. I loved all her emails even though I couldn't read a lot of them. Coleen was quite a Scholar and knew many languages and her posts were quite often ..... not in English. I admired her so she worked in old book departments. I mean OLD antique books. And travelled the world.
I always thought when I flew to CA again I would stay over in Denver to visit my dear friend Coleen. Now I will never feel that warm hug I know I would have gotten from her. I miss you very much Coleen even though I haven't seen you in about 13+ years.
But we will see each other again someday both surrounded by many critters.
I love you Coleen

Coleen was an amazing and loyal friend. We were buddies throughout our Smith years and lived together in Berkeley for several months afterwards. Mostly I remember laughing. Coleen had such a brilliant mind and a wicked sense of humor. I love her, and I'll miss her. My deepest condolences to her family. I'm so sorry for your loss.

My crazy bunny girl. 
Je pleure pour vous. 
Je vais aimer et vous manquez toujours. 
Mémoire éternelle. 
À toi pour toujours,

Coleen, I miss you so much... But you are in a better place that is free of pain and worry. I've added to Frances's name. She is now Frances Coleen. We will never forget your passion, compassion and intelligence, as well as your friendship. Prayers for comfort for your family are coming everyday. I will always remember you.

Oh Coleen, you left such a big hole in my heart, and in the rabbit community. I didn't know how much I would miss you. Please find peace.

Coleen and I were first-year roommates on the third floor of Hopkins B at Smith College. We delighted in the fact that we were both "CMH" and shared a passion for Russian language and culture. Coleen was the one waiting for me in the house living room on November 9, 1989, when I came back from class. She exclaimed that the Berlin Wall had just come down, and I was certain she was messing with me, and then we watched it together, live, on the tiny mostly-broken red-and-black house TV. I'm sure others were there, but Coleen is the one I shared it with, who occupies that memory with me.

Coleen was frankly intimidatingly brilliant, and her accomplishments made me question whether I deserved to be at Smith at all. (Still do, a bit.) Today I volunteer in admissions and frequently retell the story to reassure anxious new students and their parents: yes, you'll meet some Smithies to whom you'll probably never measure up, and it'll be OK, because they'll also be your dear friends for life and they'll remind you that you too have great things to offer the world. Even if you don't learn seven languages fluently and five more passably and rack up multiple advanced academic degrees like Coleen did. They smile and silently wonder whether I'm exaggerating. Those who knew Coleen know I'm not even telling half the story!

She was active across social media, and I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to reconnect and deepen our friendship, not realizing how short our time together would be. We discovered new shared passions: our pets (my Russian lap dogs; her rabbits) and the joys of being aunties to our families' children. Most recently, she sent me a message saying she intended to read some of my political postings, with which she disagreed, nevertheless with an open mind. Nobody does that anymore. Only a true intellectual with a passion for truth.

I miss her already. Much love and sympathy to all of you from all of us who also loved her.

May God comfort this family in this time of sorrow and give you peace and strength to endure. Psalms 83:18, Rom. 15:33

I lived next door to Coleen in Hopkins B at Smith College my first year and was amazed at her fierce intellect, ability to learn multiple languages, and academic rigor. I'm so glad I got to connect with her again via Facebook and rekindle our friendship. I'm sorry I had no idea she was so very sick and never really understood the nature of her illness. I will miss her greatly. My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

OBITUARIO

Coleen Marie Hanson

10 julio, 1971 – 12 septiembre, 2015

Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Chapel Hill

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