Mary Ellen "Poody" A. Hansen

Mary Ellen Ann "Poody" Hansen, 71, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on July 27, 2026.

Born on May 25, 1955, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Poody was the cherished and only child of Theodore "Ted" and Ethel Tanner. She was a proud graduate of West High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Growing up, Poody's happiest place was her family's cottage. Nearly every weekend was spent there with her parents, fishing alongside her dad, Ted, or playing cards with family, friends, and enjoying the simple pleasures of cottage life. Those carefree days filled with laughter, love and togetherness became some of her most treasured memories.

Another place close to her heart was her parents' jewelry store in downtown Green Bay. After school, she would stop in to have a snack with her dad before he would send her around the corner to watch Pete make and pull fresh taffy through the large picture window of his candy store. Those simple afternoons with her father remained memories she cherished throughout her life.

Everyone who met Poody was drawn to her like a magnet. She possessed a rare warmth that made people instantly feel comfortable and loved. She never judged anyone, could be trusted without hesitation, and always saw the good in others. Her infectious laughter, wonderful sense of humor, and unwavering positive outlook made every room brighter simply because she was in it.

While attending West High School, Poody worked at Hardee's greeting families as they entered the restaurant and handing balloons to children. It was there that she met her lifelong best friend, Jeri. What began as a friendship quickly became a sisterhood that lasted more than fifty years.

Together they shared countless adventures and enough laughter to last a lifetime. At twenty years old, they traveled to Hawaii and had so much fun they missed their flight home. Their adventures continued with memorable trips to Aruba and New York City, where laughter was always their favorite souvenir.

The two friends also enrolled in Jazz and Tap Dance classes at Mrs. Delorit's Dance Studio. They proudly performed a soft shoe routine to Mr. Boujangles at their recital. Anyone who knew Poody could picture her signature dance move- a high kick while touching her nose with a playful hand flick. It became her trademark and always brought smiles to those around her.

In 1980, she married Robert Hansen and welcomed her two sons into the world. At the time, she worked at Schreiber and remained there until shortly after her second son's birth. Although she enjoyed her career, Poody always believed God had given her greater purpose. Becoming a mother was her true calling. She often said, "That is what God's purpose for me is." She treasured holding her babies, especially breathing in the sweet smell of their little heads. She loved every stage of motherhood and embraced every day of raising her two sons. They were, without question, the center of her world.

That love only grew deeper when she became a grandmother. Shane and his wife, Maggie, blessed her with three beautiful grand-daughters - Lilly, Maddie and Haddie. Those girls were the prize of her life. She adored every one of them and treasured every hug, every milestone, every visit and every precious moment they shared. Being "Grandma" brought her immeasurable joy. She also was able to go to the twins' dance recitals and maybe, just maybe, they got their dance fever from Gramma.

Poody was blessed with remarkable artistic talent. She could draw almost anything she saw and loved painting beautiful rosemaling designs on large cheese boxes and furniture. She also found great joy in gardening and caring for the birds that visited her yard. She faithfully fed bluebirds with wax worms on a pie tin left on a ledge. When the pan became empty, the birds would peck at the pie tin till it fell off the ledge on the post. That was their way of letting Poody know they wanted more wax worms.

One of the places where her creativity truly flourished was at the Henry House, where she worked as a floral designer. To call her arrangements beautiful hardly did them justice - they were works of art. Her imagination knew no limits, and her sense of humor filled the shop with laughter. While perfecting an arrangement, she would often step back, smile and say, "This arrangement needs some dragon snot!" Before adding the perfect trailing vine that completed her masterpiece. She also loved to make and put bows on every and anything along with putting pheasant feathers on her wreaths after she would curl the feather around with a pencil to give it some curved shape.

Poody's kindness reached far beyond her artistic gifts. She lovingly cared for her mother when she could no longer care for herself, always put her family before herself and adored her faithful Springer Spaniel, Oscar, who was never far from her side.

Poody leaves behind far more than memories. She leaves behind laughter that still echoes, kindness that changed lives, friendships that lasted a lifetime, and a love that her family and friends will carry over forever. If you were fortunate enough to know Poody, you knew what it felt like to be accepted exactly as you were. She made ordinary days bright with her laughter, creativity, generosity, and unwavering love. The world is a little less bright without her, but everyone who knew her carries a piece of her light within them.

Poody was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Theodore "Ted" Tanner and Ethel Tanner.

She is lovingly survived by her devoted sons, Shane (Maggie) Hansen and Tanner Hansen; her cherished granddaughters, Lilly, Maddie and Haddie, who were the greatest blessing of her life; her lifelong best friend, Jeri; her three God-daughters, Nora Brawner Vieau, Lynsey Salmon and Lindsay Burhop; the father of her sons, Robert Hansen; and many dear friends and family whose lives were forever enriched by her love and friendship.

"Some people pass through our lives for a moment. Others leave footprints on our hearts that time can never erase." Poody was one of those rare souls.

Family and friends will have the opportunity to gather for Visitation on Saturday, August 8, 2026 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM NOON at First United Church of Christ (509 S Webster Ave, Green Bay, WI 54301). A Memorial Service will follow immediately at 12:00 PM NOON.