Diane M. Hartel

Diane M. Hartel (Vierck), age 63, was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who lived life to the fullest. "Sis" or "Lady Di," to most who knew her, has now rejoined the love of her life after a determined and fierce fight against cancer for 4.5 years, right up until her last on April 8, 2025. She passed comfortably and peacefully in her Janesville, WI home surrounded by love and family. She is now at peace, pain-free, and riding high in the sky on her Harley Fat Boy.
She was born on April 29, 1961, to Henry and Irene Vierck in Edgerton, WI, and raised in Milton, WI. Through high school, she worked as a nurse's aide and through the years worked at Robinson's Dry Cleaning, Woodbridge Corporation, the Northern Inn, Oscar Mayer, and retired from American Family Insurance after 16 years in 2014. She was previously married to Michael Weber and Kevin North. As luck would have it, in 1995 she reconnected with Mark "Major" Hartel. He proposed and she went on to marry the love of her life on June 30, 2000, in Madison, WI, and from there, the rest is history. They lived in Stoughton, WI for 22 years until they decided to enjoy retirement and spend their time together in Sun City West, Arizona. After losing Mark tragically in June 2024, she made the move back to Wisconsin in February 2025 to be with her family.
She was a jack of many trades and was always willing to help anyone who needed it. Her friends and family describe her as an amazing, very special, and kind person, one of a kind, the strongest woman they know, a true inspiration, accepting, loving, and generous with a smile for everyone, and their hero. She enjoyed her flower garden, riding her motorcycle all over the country and alongside her husband, working with her hands on most anything, spending time with her family and grandchildren, and volunteering her time to help with the annual Make-A-Wish Foundation event put on by her husband for 15 years, along with several other events over the years. She was presented with a President's Citizenship Award for her continued community service in the name of the Capital City Riders Motorcycle Club. She was a universal donor, donating a generous 6+ gallon of blood to the American Red Cross, and wished to be an organ/tissue donor but with her cancer, this was not possible. However, she was able to make an eye donation, which went to the Lion's Eye Bank of Wisconsin.
She is survived by her 3 daughters, Tonia (Kory) Finfrock, Tina (Aaron) Davis, Jennifer (Anthony Olson) Krause; 2 sons, Adam (Jessica) Hartel, Jack (Alicia) Hartel; 6 grandchildren, Mackenzie, Calvin, Max, Evan, Jaxon, Rose; 4 brothers, Russ Vierck, Charlie (Madonna) Vierck, Al (Renee) Vierck, Ken (Tammy) Vierck all of WI, brother-in-law Joe of Alden IA, and their 4-legged companion, Houston. She is preceded in death by her husband Mark, her parents, and extended family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin in her memory. https://secure2.wish.org/site/SPageNavigator/dfr_landing.html?chid=029-000
There will be a celebration of life for family and friends at the VFW located at 1015 Center Ave, Janesville WI. Date and time to follow. Sandwiches will be provided. The family asks that you bring a dish to pass. If you made a Diane favorite, please bring that to share. There will be a gathering at Milton Lawns Memorial Park located at 2200 Milton Ave in Janesville, WI at a later date.
We send special thanks to her care team at Mercy Health Janesville (Dr. Jared Stahlecker and Amanda Johnson, PA), the Mercy Hospice team (Ester and Mary RN), the team at Albrecht Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, and the Lion's Eye Bank of Wisconsin. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Diane, please visit our floral store.