Tribute

Stephen Arne Hanke was raised as the fourth generation on the Hanke family farm in Wittenberg, Wisconsin. An unassuming man of quietude and solitude, Steve exemplified the farmer’s mystique. He loved animals, loved engaging with life in the barn, and had a love affair with flowers, especially zinnias. He was a man of the earth, grounded. He respected life, and his passions followed the seasons: syruping in the spring; gardening, haying, and cultivating berries in the summer; cutting firewood and hunting in the fall; snowshoeing and fireside-sitting at the cabin in the winter. Hunting season and the fall were always harbingers of yearning for Steve’s favorite foods: he might be the only person on earth that would request lutefisk, limburger, lefse, and 1/3 of a beer for his last meal. Most of the family never quite warmed to this palette--except for the lefse and consuming the remainder of the beer. Born to be a father and, subsequently, a grandfather, Steve led by example and faced challenges not hastily, but methodically and with thought. He was a steadfast man of character, conscience, and routine. He knew his mind and his boundaries, indelibly ingraining his personality into family. And family was everything to him. He fostered a healthy lifestyle and love of the outdoors in his children. Inheriting a passion for baseball from his father, he passed along his love of the game. He was an avid runner. Steve’s avocation was caregiving. If not caring for livestock, he was caring for people. As an occupational therapist he spent his life working with severely developmentally disabled adults. After the State closed residential facilities, Steve spent the next 13 years as an adult family home sponsor, requesting the most difficult of clients. He provided residential care for two challenging individuals, whom the entire town of Wittenberg got to know. There was no opting-out by family, leaving us all with more than memories. Once Steve became ill, a surprise turn of events led him to provide care for his granddaughter, while he could, for two years since her infancy. He fed her, changed her, rocked her, walked nights with her, cuddled her. Cece became the apple of his eye, bringing him joy and purpose during his remaining time. Steve was holding out for the birth of his fourth grandchild but missed Rosalie by three days. With an emotional and romantic heart, Steve was the crier in the family. He loved a tearjerker or Hallmark movie as much as anyone. Groundhog Day was his favorite movie. The light of his heart shined for his wife and never dimmed in its loving anticipation of being together. Steve and Mary found their favorite person in each other. They were a team and together, 1+1=3. People who knew Steve felt their lives enriched. His legacy is kindness and a desire to carry on in his footsteps. Husband, father, grandfather, partner, mentor.

Friends & Family

Wife: Mary Lucas; Children: Tina (Bud) Kaney, Todd (Chrissy) Hanke, Karl Hanke; Stepchildren: Daisha Lucas, Stratton Lucas; Grandchildren: Forrest Kaney, Cody Kaney, Cecelia Hanke, Rosalie Hanke; Siblings: Jesse (Carla) Hanke, Polly (Tom) Hirn, Kelly Hanke, Friends: Leo Furst and Joel Mueller