Sing Hanson died peacefully on August 12, 2023, surrounded by her loving family in a sunlit room looking out to the garden in her Bedford home. Sing’s legacy lives on through her capacious work in making art, building community, and spreading joy at the Boston Children’s Museum, the Bedford Center for the Arts, and the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord.
Signe Christina Anderson was born in 1942, and raised near Geneva, Illinois. Her family moved to Barrington, Rhode Island in 1953. She graduated from Barrington High School and Smith College and attended the Boston University School of Fine Arts.
For 35 years, Sing worked at the Boston Children’s Museum as graphic and exhibit designer and director of exhibitions from 1990 to 2001. Lively, playful and committed to beauty, Sing believed that exhibits must never preach, shame, or make someone feel stupid or bad about themselves. This was the forward-looking visitor-centered ethic that put the Boston Children’s Museum in the vanguard of museums. Her portfolio included some of BCM’s most popular and innovative exhibits, including What if You Couldn’t?, Teen Tokyo,
Arthur’s World and more.
Sing was a founding board member of the Bedford Center for the Arts. She brought joy and
energy to the fledgling organization. Sing joined the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord in 2005, and quickly became an integral part of the community. There, her art flourished as she explored digital fine arts printmaking, collage and book arts. Her art pieces were shown at galleries in Greater Boston.
For many years, Sing struggled against the relentless drumbeat of Alzheimer’s disease, but she did not let the illness overwhelm her grace, humor, courage, and beauty.
Sing is survived by her husband of 56 years, Carl Hanson, and by her daughter Siri of Bedford, her brothers Karl of Warren, RI and Bob of Newtown, PA, many nieces and
nephews, and a wide circle of adoring friends from all her far-reaching endeavors.
We close this obituary with the traditional Hanson family toast: “Here’s to the absent ones.”
The absent ones are always present. Here’s to Sing and to all your loved ones. Sing’s extraordinary life will be celebrated at 1p.m. on Sept. 8 at the First Parish Church, 75 Great Rd., Bedford, MA. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02452, or www.alz.org.
Full obituary, go to https://www.shawsheenfuneralhome.com
