Marlene (Yelinek) Hancock

Hancock, Marlene Ann (Yelinek) of Ridgefield, CT, wife of the late Richard L. Hancock passed away at home on December 22, 2021. Born in Ridgefield in 1945, Marlene was the daughter of the late John and Helen (Zabilansky) Yelinek. Marlene is survived by her two sons and their wives Scott (Laura) Hancock of Glastonbury, CT and Michael (Barrie) Hancock of Apex, NC, her two daughters, and their husbands Lisa (David) Vail of Dacula, GA, and Lenore (Phil) Richey of Greyson, GA, her brother Roger Yelinek of Concrete, WA, 7 grandchildren; Michael and Shane Mendelson, Erica and Samuel Richey, Ally, Clara, and Ellie Hancock, five great-grandchildren Gabriel, Sophie, Levi, Braden, and Cora Mendelsohn and countless nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who meant the world to her. In addition to her husband and parents, Marlene was preceded in death by her brother Jack Yelinek and his wife Doris, her sister-in-law Barbara Yelinek, and her grandsons Timothy Vail and Luke Hancock. Marlene continued her mother Helen's legacy by owning and operating Helen’s Beauty Shop (the first woman-owned business in Ridgefield) out of her home until her passing. She enjoyed her nightly chats on the phone with her big brother Roger and looked forward to her annual Thanksgiving trip to North Carolina to spend the holiday with family. Her favorite place was Misquamicut Beach where the family would vacation in the summers. She loved it there so much she asked her immediate family to gather at Misquamicut and listen to her favorite Billy Joel song “Piano Man” in her memory and to visit her there as often as possible. When you hear any Billy Joel song, please think of Marlene, we hope it puts a smile on your face. As anyone who knew her can attest, wherever she went, she made a friend, whether furry or human. Just the type of person she was and she will be missed tremendously by all who knew her. A celebration of her life will be planned later in 2022 when her children can all be together and per her wishes, “when the weather is warm." Marlene’s favorite holiday movie was "It's a Wonderful Life." Here’s a quote from it that sums up Marlene's impact on our world: "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" Yes, you did. Thank you for the reminder on what makes a person "rich" in life. If you would like to make a donation in her memory please consider either donating to Meals on Wheels of Ridgefield or to Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue (ROAR), for the animal lover that she was

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