Mary was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She and her husband, Attorney Albert Hansen, moved to Arcadia, CA, in 1960. Mary worked in banking for most of her career, starting as a telephone operator at California Bank and later as a bank teller. Her warm and outgoing personality, intelligence, and hard work moved her up the ladder. She was made Operation Manager at Wilshire Bank and later became the first woman Vice President. A remarkable feat for a woman at that time.

Working in banking for 25 years, Mary developed leadership skills that she carried through to her service in the community and her church.

Mary has volunteered in many capacities, ranging from Board Member to President, for the following organizations: Arcadia Beautiful Commissions (8 years), Methodist Hospital Foundation (3 years), American Heart Association (4 years), Centennial Celebration (Treasurer 1 year), Lutheran Church (Treasurer 4 years), Meals on Wheel’s Red Cross (3 years), American Cancer Society (call committee 2 years), Arcadia Women’s Club (4 years), Santa Anita Breeders Cup (4 years), Arcadia Tournament of Roses (working on Arcadia Float 2 years), Arcadia Chamber of Commerce (6 years), Friend of the Arcadia Historical Society (5 years), Arcadia Coordinating Council (5-years), and the Arcadia Police Foundation (5 years as Vice President).

Mary has volunteered countless hours to the Arcadia Community and made many generous monetary contributions within the city and to the Arcadia Rotary Veterans Memorial at the Arcadia Community Center. And she also made a generous donation to the Arcadia Police Foundation to purchase the first K-9, Zoli.

Mary always preferred to give rather than receive.