Wayne Hanke

Wayne N. Hanke, age 78, of Marathon, died on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, after a short battle with Lewy Body Dementia.
Wayne was born on July 17, 1942 in Wausau to the late Norman and Valieta (Hitzke) Hanke.  He married LuAnn Gaeu on June 13, 1964.  Together they celebrated 56 wonderful years of marriage.
Wayne was a hard-working dairy farmer, whose work ethic has been passed down through the generations.  He, along with LuAnn, owned and operated Way-No Dairy from 1976 until his retirement in 1995, after which he was employed at ABS and then Custom Meats of Marathon.  Wayne served as President of the Marathon County Holstein Breeders Association and was an active member of the Wisconsin and National Holstein Associations, served on the DHIA Board and Marathon County Calf Project.  When he wasn’t working hard on the farm, Wayne enjoyed playing sheepshead and 31 with his family and friends.  He was an avid bowler for 47 years, bowling two 300 games and one 299 game.  He was a Packer, Brewer and Badger fan, but loved attending sporting events for his grandchildren even more.  He also enjoyed bullhead fishing with his grandchildren and fishing in Canada.  Wayne was known for his immaculate yard, flowers and garden. He will be remembered for teasing his friends and family, his dry sense of humor and his big smile.
He is survived by his wife LuAnn; children Jodi (Lon) Wilkosz, Wendy (Kent) Reinhardt, and Jayme (Michael) Buttke; daughter-in-law Kelly Nelson; grandchildren Andrea (Rocky Bentz) Sebold, Alyssa (Jeff) Rhoades, Kelsey (Ben) LaVaque, Kyle (Geralyn) Wilkosz, Matthew (Ava) Reinhardt, Marcus (Fiancé Elizabeth Weix) Reinhardt, Mason (Andrea) Reinhardt, Henry Buttke and Grace Buttke; great grandchildren Rielyn Rhoades, Arya LaVaque, Roman Bentz, Selah Reinhardt, Knox Rhoades and Abram Wilkosz; siblings Keith Hanke and Sharleen (Walter) Tetzlaff; brother-in-law Daniel (Sally) Gaeu; sister-in-law Doreen Gaeu (Darwin Berndt); and foreign exchange daughters Caterina Engedal and Clare Glaze; and many nieces and nephews.
Wayne is preceded in death by his son Timothy Hanke; parents Norman and Valieta Hanke; father and mother-in-law Edwin and Ella Gaeu; brother-in-law James Gaeu; and sister-in-law Sandy Hanke.
Funeral Service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 at Trinity Lutheran Church – Stettin, 232220 N. 120th Ave., Wausau.  The Rev. Tryphine Olson Schruba will officiate.  If you wish to attend in person, please be advised that masks and social distancing will be observed.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020 at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce Street, Wausau and again from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church on Saturday.  He will be laid to rest at the Stettin Christian Cemetery.