Richard N. Hanke

Richard Hanke

Richard N. Hanke, 77, Blue River, passed away on Saturday July 25, 2020 at Gundersen Hospital in LaCrosse.  

He was born August 20, 1942 in Chicago Illinois, the son of Lester and Marcella (Taylor) Hanke. 

He married Lynda Sisson on May 11, 1963 in Des Plaines Illinois. 

Dick loved his family and would always be at any event, picnic, or dinner we all had. He would say, “All of this because of your Mom & I fell in love.”

Dick was a mechanic for over 20 years in the Chicago area. He also loved to build homes and cabins in Illinois and Wisconsin during this time and in 1981 his wife Lynda and he decided to get out of the city and they moved the family permanently to SW Wisconsin. They bought a campground in Blue River called Eagle Cave Natural Park and well the rest is history as they say. The campground is still ran by family today.

Dick never gave up his love of cars as he built many in his garage at the cave along with his two boys Rick and Wes. Many a night the hollows would ring with the crack of engines being tuned as they got ready for demo derbies. 

Dick also continued his love of wood craft as he built furniture for all the family. He used to say give me a picture and I can build it. To sum it up

Dick was as comfortable with a wrench in his hand as he was a hammer and his passion for both will live on in all of us.

He is survived by his children, Julie (Gerry) Rosauer of Blue River, Tammy (Allen) Hines of Boscobel, Rick (Teresa) Hanke of Hillsboro, Weston (Michelle) Hanke of Blue River; 19 grandchildren, Mandie, Jesse, Josh, Ty, Keith, Ashley, Jessica, Jake, Aaron, Kaylee, Missie, Jude, Chelssi, Kasey, Sierra, Devon, Kaylee, Cheyenne, Kyle, Ricky; 11 great-grandchildren, Madi, Isaiah, Brayton, Brynlee, Ellah, Jaxson, Carson, Graci, Zion, Wyatt, Archer; a  brother, Robert Hanke of LaValle; four sisters, Irene Snyder of Illinois, Sue Ledgerwood of LaValle, twins, Patricia Barun of Illinois, and Pam Mandel of Minnesota.  

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lynda Hanke on May 16, 2009, also a brother Lester Owen Hanke on April 4tjh 2019.

Private Family Funeral Services will be held on Monday August 3, 2020 at the Kendall Funeral Home in Boscobel. Reverend Ty Hines officiating. Public graveside services will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Monday,  August 3, 2020, at the Boscobel Cemetery.

A further gathering of friends and family will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday at Eagle Cave, rural Blue River. 

Online condolences can be sent to www.kendallfuneralservice.com

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