Martha Raye Hansen, 70

 Martha Raye Hansen, 70, of North Pole, Alaska, died peacefully at home June 17, 2012, after a long, hard fight with Huntington’s disease.

Martha was born Aug. 8, 1941, in Kalispell to the late Joseph Romie and Betty Virginia (Clapper) Evenson. She grew up in the Flathead Valley on her parents' farm.

She married her high school sweetheart, Royal G. Hansen, the summer after she graduated from Bigfork High School. Martha and Royal were married Sept. 4, 1959, and moved to Missoula so Royal could attend college.

They had two children, Deborah, born May 13, 1960, and Scott, born Aug. 16, 1961.

After Royal graduated in 1963, they moved to Juneau, Alaska for an adventure, and to Sitka, Alaska in 1966. Martha loved the ocean, the state and the people but she wanted away from the rain, so in 1969 she and Royal packed for one more move to North Pole. She immediately loved North Pole and said she'd found home. She worked for the school district in the early 1970s and started working at the Fairbanks Regional Health Center in the late 1970s until her retirement. She greatly enjoyed her jobs, the people she worked with and the people she helped.

 Martha retired when she was officially diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. She was honest, hardworking and loving, and will be greatly missed by those she touched in this world.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her husband Royal Hansen, daughter Deborah and Kevin Knutsen, son Scott Hansen, grandson Joel and Feniss Knutsen, granddaughter Samantha and Brandon Benson, great- grandchildren William E. Russell, Jackson L. Knutsen and Aleigha K. Benson, all of North Pole; brother, Warren and Nickie Evenson of Charleston, W.Va., and extended family and friends.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 23 at the Knutsen home in North Pole. Interment will take place at 2 p.m. July 20 at Lone Pine Cemetery. There will be a gathering afterwards for family and friends.

Memorial contributions may be made in Martha's memory to Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Ave., Suite 902, NY, NY 10018.

Arrangements are entrusted to Fairbanks Funeral Home in Fairbanks, Alaska. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Martha’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Martha’s guest book.