Colleen Nellie Hensley

Nellie “Colleen” Hensley, 94, passed away peacefully on May 16 at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital in Vancouver, Washington. Colleen resided in Vancouver after moving from Astoria in 2012.

She was born March 27, 1928, in Milwaukie, the daughter of Calvin and Nellie Johnson, joining sister, Melba, and brother, Calvin. Colleen enjoyed a happy childhood, and relished the fact that she, Mickey Mouse and Shirley Temple all made their entrances into this world within the same year.

She was naturally athletic from a young age, and was the one girl in the neighborhood of Ardenwald that the boys would invite to play baseball. While in elementary school, she learned to sew in 4-H, making her first dress in the fourth grade.

Nearby Oaks Amusement Park was a favorite of hers, where she would often roller skate, and where she met a young Jane Powell, who went on to become a famous singer in Hollywood. The family moved to Newport for a short time, and then settled in Astoria when Colleen was a teenager.

She graduated from Astoria High School in 1947, and shortly after, married Mel Conboy. They had one daughter, Susan, but later divorced. In 1951, she married Paul Hensley, and daughter, Kathy, arrived a year later.

Colleen had a kind, generous and forgiving heart. She loved being around children and young people. She would often take them under her wing if they needed an advocate or friend. She was a “people person” through and through, and was able to share her vibrant personality with others in the variety of jobs she held over the years.

Early on, she worked at a soda fountain at Tongue Point during World War II, later at a local cannery and then as a telephone operator. She also held sales positions at Morton’s Dress Shop and Steinbock’s Pharmacy, provided receptionist services at Maddox Dance Studio, managed the Rivershore Motel with her husband, Paul, and co-managed the seasonal Hickory Farms store in Astoria for several years.

Colleen was an accomplished and talented seamstress, and taught sewing classes for a time. She not only sewed traditional clothing, but made numerous dance costumes, cheerleading uniforms, draperies, curtains and more.

Active in her community, Colleen was both a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, and kept in touch with her scouts all her life. She was a longtime member of the Anchor Club, and was elected and served as skipper in 1977. Throughout the years, she belonged to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the American Legion and the fraternal orders Vasa, Elks and Moose.

Colleen was proud of her Irish and Swedish roots. She was an active supporter of the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, and recently contributed to Astoria’s Nordic Heritage Park. She adored parades from an early age, and especially appreciated the marching bands, with bagpiping bands being her favorite.

Loving all things nautical, Astoria’s Regatta was an especially joyful and important time for her. Over the years, she worked tirelessly for the Anchor Club and the Astoria Regatta Association.

In recent years, she enjoyed traveling, card games, crafts, bean bag baseball and (her favorite) Wii bowling.

In 2009, she lost her husband, Paul, while residing in McMinnville. She is survived by her daughters, Susan Ulmer (Ed) and Kathy Peterson (Byron), of Vancouver, Washington; four grandchildren, Elise Ulmer, of Lake Oswego, Corey Brech (Linda), of Astoria, Dr. Jeffrey Ulmer (Camille), of Portland, and Barry Peterson (Krista), of Culpeper, Virginia; and five great-grandchildren, Ethan Brech, Trenton and Brisen Shoup and Julian and Kristine Ulmer.

Colleen also leaves behind her loving companion, Norman Taylor. They met at Vancouver Pointe Independent Living, and shared many happy times together.

Colleen deeply loved her family, her friends and life itself; she truly embodied “carpe diem” — living life to its fullest. She will be greatly missed.

Interment will be held at Willamette National Cemetery, with family members attending. A life celebration party will be held at a later date.

Colleen was a two-time survivor of breast cancer. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Susan G. Komen foundation ( komen.org ), which promotes breast cancer research, community health, global outreach and public policy.