Marilyn Ann Hanberg passed away unexpectedly but peacefully on Nov. 24, 2009 in Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, after waging a determined challenge to lung cancer.  She was born in Alton, Kansas, on Jan. 28,1939 to Henry and Esther (Schloh) Koelling.

She is survived by her husband, Donald, sister-in-law Barbara Koelling and nephews Keith and Kirk Koelling of Paradise, Kansas; and nephew Kyle Koelling, his wife Becky and children Ethan and Hannah of Natoma, Kansas.  She was predeceased by her brother Lawrence Koelling in February.

As a Kansas farm girl her post-Depression experiences included underclothing made from flour sacks, walking two miles to a one room schoolhouse where for eight years she was the only student in her class, electric service arriving when she was in her teens, her mother serving noon meals to German POWs provided as day labor during harvest time, etc. 

She hunted with her father and was an excellent shot.  In high school she played on the unbeaten basketball team for several seasons and on graduation was recruited by a semi-pro women's team, the Texas Redheads.  She chose college instead and then worked as a secretary for Pure Oil in Denver.

In 1968 she was hired as a file clerk with Ocean Systems, Inc. in Reston, Va.  Newly founded by Union Carbide it soon became a major diving company operating in offshore oil fields worldwide.  It was there she met fellow employee, Donald F. Hanberg, and they married in August 1972.  When his Survey division was relocated to Old Saybrook in 1974 she left her position as the president's secretary.

Moving to Essex she reached her long time goal of becoming a realtor and worked with the Baldwin Agency, later joining Dunham Ltd. Realtors in Old Lyme.  By this time she had found particular pleasure with the land part of real estate.  As an example of her appreciation of land value, in 1980 she purchased unseen and immediately, when offered, 20 acres in Ivoryton.  Today that and an adjoining parcel comprise the Essex Land Trust's Falls River Preserve.

When Mr. and Mrs. Dunham retired, Lyn became the owner of Dunham, Ltd., co-owner when she added a partner, then ex-owner when he retired and the firm merged with Prudential Connecticut Realty.  There she resumed an active sales role and enduring the stress of continuing treatment continued to find her work challenging and rewarding.

Hers is testimony to the tenets of responsibility, hard work and diligence that served her well in achieving goals – except for the last one.

Services will be private at a later date.

Suggestions for memorial contributions are Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center, 512 Saybrook Road, Middletown, CT 06457 or organizations supporting the welfare of animals. 

Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home 34 Main Street, Centerbrook is in care of the arrangements.