Bill Hackbush

Wilfred H. "Bill" Hackbush, 82, of Fort Wayne, died Saturday January 24, 2026, at Parkview Randallia Hospital. Bill was born May 2, 1943, in Cleveland OH, the son of the late Harold F. and Lenore (Ulrikson) Hackbush. He served his country proudly in the US Army and on June 12, 1965, he married his beloved wife Madonna (Bauer) Hackbush, who survives along with their four children, Jeffrey (Valerie) Hackbush of Auburn, Jason (Oona) Hackbush and Janice (Thomas) Cantrell, both of Fort Wayne, and Jennifer (Thomas) Monroe of Reno NV. He was the proud grandfather of 13, Tabitha (Eric), Tanner, Tia (Kayden), Tayte, Taurean, Taquoia, Vada, Aristotle, Zella, Vinny, Cecily, James and Samuel and great grandfather to Maverick and Joanna. He is also survived by a sister, Gayle Ziaskas, of San Diego CA and was a favorite brother-in-law, uncle, and cousin to many. He was predeceased by his parents and his in laws.

Bill graduated from Vermillion High School, attended Tri-State University and graduated from Indiana Tech. He was a retired Industrial Engineer in the automotive industry. Bill was a member of St Jude Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council 451. Bill valued community involvement, actively supporting organizations including Junior Achievement, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and the Jaycees over the duration of his life.

Bill will be remembered as the kindest man. He was an amateur photographer, always behind the camera, and he leaves his family with thousands of happy photos of our delightful childhoods and our shared journeys into parenthood and adulthood. He was a talented woodworker and an automotive afficionado and made sure his children all knew how to change a tire, check the oil in a car, and to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms. People gravitated toward Bill's side at every family gathering and there was no one who have been quicker to tell you that he loved you, that he was proud of you, and that your place here mattered. He will be dearly missed.

We will celebrate his life and legacy with a Funeral Mass at 1030am Wednesday February 4, 2026 at St Jude Catholic Church, 2155 Randallia Dr. with visitation from 930-1030am in the church. Visitation also on Tuesday evening from 5-8pm at Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Ave. with the Rosary at 430pm. The family's preferred memorials are St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, online at www.stjude.org or by mail to 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis TN 38105, and The Arbor Day Foundation, online at www.arborday.org, or by mail to 211 N. 12th St. Lincoln, NE 68508. To share a remembrance of Bill or to offer condolences to his family, please visit www.divinemercyfuneralhome.com.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,

and let Perpetual Light shine upon him.

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