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Eric J. Hanson ’78

August 20, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Eric was raised in Southern California alongside his spirited twin brother, Mark. During his time at Reed, he spent a year studying at the Sorbonne University in Paris, where he absorbed the language and culture of France. He wrote his thesis, “Detection of Destructive Symbiosis and Role Reversal in the Abusing Family,” advised by Prof. Carol Creedon [psychology 1957–91]. Eric received a PhD in educational psychology from the University of Utah. After graduation, he met and married his wife, Sue, with whom he shared a life for 34 years. Their son, Ian, was born in 1991.

As a psychologist, Eric worked with adults, adolescents, children, and families at Valley Mental Health. He later transitioned his years of experience and insight into a meaningful private practice. He was also a masterful composer and pianist, and his music provided him with a depth of expression and beauty.

The ultimate challenge and perhaps his bravest endeavor in his life’s journey was when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2005. He endured with acceptance and grace. Eric is survived by his wife, Sue; his son, Ian; his brother, Mark; and his stepmother, Betty.

Appeared in Reed magazine: December 2022