ILWACO Carl John Hansen, Emeritus Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, died on July 3, 2011, at Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, after a prolonged battle with congestive heart failure. He was born on Dec. 21, 1933, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the only child of Carl and Ada Hansen.

    He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Queens College, N.Y. His advanced degrees followed with a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in physics from Yale University. After a short career as a nuclear reactor analyst at Combustion Engineering, Inc., he became a research associate at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His career as a teacher progressed from there to assistant professor in 1968, fellow at JILA from 1969 to 2011, professor at JILA in 1974, senior visiting fellow at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University in 1978, and emeritus professor at JILA from 1996 to 2011.

    His journey through life was one of curiosity and discovery. He also possessed a sharp wit and contagious and delightful sense of humor. These will be sorely missed in the lives of many.

    During the past four years, he and his wife spent their time between their homes in the foothills of Boulder, and in Ocean Park.

    Survivors include his wife, Camille Polk Hansen; son, Ethan (Tracey); granddaughter, Marcella; step-granddaughter, Madeline; sisters-in-law, Maureen (Steve) Case and Kate Polk; numerous nieces and nephews as well as grandnieces and nephews. He also leaves behind some very special friends: Sue and Stan Dahlberg of Boulder; Clyde Zaidins and Monica Younger of Ocean Park, Vince Antonetti of New York and George Sadowsky of Vermont.

    Contributions in his memory may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of the Long Beach Peninsula, P.O. Box 1172, Long Beach, WA 98631. A memorial will be held on the University of Colorado campus on Oct. 29.