Obituary of Mariette Newhagen

Mariette "Mimi" Newhagen, 6/3/1923 - 10/2/2013. Rresident of Tucson Mariette Hansen Newhagen passed away at the age 90 on October 2, 2013, at Atria Bell Court Gardens (Senior Living), after suffering sudden heart failure. Mimi, as she preferred to be called, was born and raised in Chicago. She was the youngest of three children born to Andries and Marie Hansen. She graduated from St. Thomas the Apostle High School. She and her former husband were married in 1948, and they had six children. The couple divorced in 1965. Mimi had what she called an adventurous "gypsy spirit." In 1969, she moved her family from Illinois to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, shortly after the town was established in the Mohave Desert. Subsequently, she lived in Scottsdale and Tucson; Medford, Oregon; Santa Cruz, California; and finally returned to Tucson to be close to her daughters. Mimi worked at Arizona State University for a number of years and retired from there in 1985 as the Assistant to the Dean of Engineering. She then fulfilled her long-held dream and completed her undergraduate studies, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in History from ASU in 1986. Mimi loved gardening, genealogy, reading and traveling; she took on volunteer work in every community in which she lived, making many friends, always trying to contribute and to be helpful. Her passion for studying history and her Dutch family roots were well known to all who loved and admired her active mind and spirited conversations. She had a sharp memory and was a tough Scrabble competitor. She kept up with the news and was an active follower of politics. She loved animals and cared for many pets over her lifetime. However, the center of Mimi's life was her family. Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, and she will be missed beyond words. Mimi is survived by her six children, Paul Newhagen (Antje) of Los Altos Hills, CA; Mark Newhagen (Josie) of Hanover, MD; Beth Grandy (Stephen) of Buckeye, AZ; Amy Heinfeld (Gary) of Tucson, AZ; Jill Newhagen of Mesa, AZ; and Richard Newhagen (Camilla) of San Francisco, CA. She was the beloved grandmother of Meriem Newhagen of Severn, MD; Damon Grandy of Prescott Valley, AZ; Jared Grandy of Tempe, AZ; Maya Newhagen of San Francisco, CA; Christopher Heinfeld of Tucson, AZ; Jennifer Heinfeld of Stockholm, Sweden; Ryan Heinfeld of Tucson, AZ; Andreas and Kaya Newhagen of San Francisco, CA; and her four great-grandchildren. Mimi was preceded in death by her sister, Jean Robinson, and her brother, Bill Hansen. A Celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Mimi supported many different charitable efforts. Donations in her memory may be made to any of the following: Operation Smile, Wounded Warrior Project, Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, The Nature Conservancy, or Southwest Indian Foundation. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel.