Larry R. Hahn

1939 - 2022

Larry R. Hahn

July 26, 1939 - March 22, 2022

POYNETTE – Larry R. Hahn, age 82, passed away on March 22, 2022, at At Home Again in Rio, WI. Larry suffered with dementia for the past several years and because of that he spent the last two years with the caring staff of At Home Again with recent assistance from Generations Hospice.

Larry was born to Robert and Lorraine (Betlach) Hahn on July 26, 1939, in the town of Medina, Dane County. Larry attended the DeForest school system until his family moved to the Wisconsin River in rural Poynette. He joined the PHS Class of 1957, as a sophomore. In school, he excelled in drama.

Larry met his wife, Sharon (Stewart) at Poynette High School, even taking her to the junior prom; but it was several years later that they reconnected and married on June 30, 1962. Their rehearsal dinner was held on a sandbar on the Wisconsin River.

Larry attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and simultaneously began work as a teller at the DeForest Morrisonville Bank (now DMB Community Bank) under the tutelage of Irv Price and WR (Rod) Williams. Under the direction of those two men and many co-workers, he rose through the ranks to become the President/CEO and Chairman of the Board of DMB.

Larry was a graduate of the UW School of Banking and a lifetime service winner of the Wisconsin Community Bankers Association (previously Independent Bankers of Wisconsin) which he served as President from 1987-1988.

Larry was a past member of the US Army Reserve (44th General Hospital), a past member of the and Master of the Poynette Lodge #173, a current member of Fort Winnebago Lodge #33, a member of the Zor Shrine, and the Scottish Rite. During his DeForest employment, he was active in numerous organizations in the DeForest/ Windsor area. Larry was a strong supporter of the Overture Center, Wisconsin Public Television, and Wisconsin Public Radio.

In his "spare" time, Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, and travelling. Larry produced many pieces of furniture for their Poynette homes, including a gorgeous game table hewed from a lightening strike injured white pine that he, Sharon, and their foster child, Jeff, planted as a seedling on their King Road land in the early 1970's. Larry also made two totem poles. One sat proudly in the circle at the farm, the smaller version rests in their Poynette home. It is a testament to his many talents.

Larry and Sharon traveled extensively visiting all the continents and many of the individual countries within. Those trips were a very special part of their lives that they enjoyed sharing tales about with others. Despite these exotic locations, their most favorite times were spending lazy hours on a sandbar on the Wisconsin River - fishing, talking, playing bocce ball with brother, Gary, and Judy, and dear friends, Bob and Wanda Kacizak. The men were known as some of the original "river rats."

Many trips were taken to various places in the states beginning with a 1964 trip to San Francisco in their Karmann Ghia. That was followed by a trip in Brother Gary (and Judy's) '65 Oldsmobile – destination – Mexico City! When Sharon met Barb Loftsgordon on June 6, 1966, there was no way to know that she and Larry would become lifelong friends with Barb and husband, Richard. Their friendship continues to this day. Larry and Sharon are envious that they are not able to spend time with them on the golden sands of Panama City Beach, which they all visited for the first time in 1971, and numerous times since, until Larry's health declined.

Larry is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Poynette; his brother, Gary (Judy) Hahn, Madison; his sister, Roberta (Ken Erdahl) Hahn, Poynette; their children and grandchildren; Sharon's extended family; and the DMB family.

Larry's body has been donated to the UW School of Medicine. There will be no memorial gathering.

Memorials may be made to The Friends of Fine Arts, P.O. Box 122, Poynette, WI, 53955, the Friends of MacKenzie, W7303 Cty. Rd. CS&Q, Poynette, WI, 53955, or to At Home Again, 405 Lowville Rd., Rio, WI, 53960.

Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in (www.pmmfh.com) is assisting the family.