Daniel M. Hanson, “Digger Dan”, age 70, passed away unexpectedly one day after his 70th birthday, after a courageous six year battle with cancer and heart disease that occurred due to Agent Orange during his faithful service to his country during the Vietnam War.
Dan was born on October 2, 1947 in Berlin, WI, the son of the late Martin and Myra (Stumpner) Hanson. Following high school, Dan was drafted into the US Army and served with the Army 9th Infantry during Vietnam(1967-1969) and received three purple hearts for his service. After returning home, he worked for 35 years for the US Postal Service and also ran his own stump grinding and excavating business for 30 years. On October 1, 2005, Dan married Ruth (Pethke) Buchholz at First Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi, where he was a member. He was also a member of the church Endowment Committee, served on the Wolf River Town Board, was a 4H leader, and was a member of Wolf River American Legion Post 391, Tustin Fire Department, Fox Valley Vietnam Veteran Association, Disabled American Veterans, and the Purple Heart Association. He especially enjoyed hunting, fishing, iron art work, gardening, and working with scrap iron. He was known and will be remembered for his generosity, humor, creativity and strong faith.
Dan was the world’s greatest husband, dad, grandpa and Papa Digger and will be greatly missed by his wife, Ruth; a daughter, Amy (Randy) Elsner, Manawa; three stepchildren, Matthew (Jennifer) Buchholz, New London; Christy Waldorf, Hartford and Beth (Lee) Brendemuehl, Bear Creek; seven grandchildren, Mickayla and Jacob Elsner, Mason and Lilah Waldorf, Rylee and Adela Brendemuehl and Eve Buchholz; a sister, Ruth Nehring, Marshfield; aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, W2314 Prospect St., Poy Sippi. Rev. Paul Brinkman officiating. Burial with full military rites took place in Poy Sippi Cemetery. Visitation was held on Friday at the Lewin Funeral Home, Fremont from 4-7 p.m. and on Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of service. A memorial fund has been established for First Lutheran Church.