Agnes Christina Sloth Hancock died peacefully Dec. 6, 2007 at Fairhaven Family Home, Oak Harbor.
She was born Oct. 1, 1920 in Fairmont, Minn. to Danish immigrant parents, Peter and Barbara Sloth.
Her family moved to Whidbey Island in 1926. Agnes attended the one-room San de Fuca schoolhouse through eighth grade, and then attended Coupeville High School, graduating at age 16.
She married Robert Lee Hancock in 1940. She worked as assistant to Dr. Les Chaffee until the birth of her first child, Curtis.
Agnes and Bob lived in downtown Coupeville until 1948 when they moved to the Hancock family home on Ebey’s Prairie. Here they lived until Bob passed away in August of this year, just shy of 67 years of marriage.
Agnes’s main focus was being a farm wife and mother. She tended a large garden, helped on the farm, was a fine cook and sewed her own clothes and those of her daughters. She also held a number of part-time jobs along the way.
She was a dedicated member of the Coupeville United Methodist Church, holding every office in the United Methodist Women, and was the church organist for 35 years. Agnes was active in the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and volunteered at Whidbey General Hospital until health issues took their toll. She was a 4-H leader for many years. She enjoyed her children and grandchildren and attended as many of their sporting events as possible.
Agnes and Bob had a rich life full of family and friends. Agnes was one of four sisters, all married to farmers of pioneer families and living in Coupeville. The four families spent a lot of time together, especially at the family beach property at Kennedy’s Lagoon.
After their children were grown, Agnes was able to travel extensively. She made a trip back to Denmark to see the many cousins there. She and Bob were in Europe together twice as well as Australia and Hawaii. Agnes visited the Holy Lands and Egypt. They also took many road trips, including a six-week tour of the entire U.S.
Agnes was a kind, gracious and loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend.
Agnes is survived by daughter Carolyn Brazas and husband Deane of Anacortes; son Alan Hancock and wife Elizabeth of Coupeville; and daughter Cheri Star and husband Jim Reiser of Gig Harbor. Grandchildren are Jennifer Brazas Davies, Benjamin Hancock, Emily Hancock, Kristen Star and Ryan Star. Sisters are Opal Boyer and Phyllis Sherman of Coupeville.
She is preceded in death by her husband Robert, son Curtis and granddaughter Amanda Brazas.
Memorial services were held on Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Coupeville United Methodist Church with Rev. Jin Ming Ma officiating. Family interment services preceded the memorial at Sunnyside Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Coupeville United Methodist Church. Arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.
