Kyle Thomas Handford

Kyle Thomas Handford of Waukesha, formerly of Adams County, Wisconsin, died on December 22, 2025, at the age of 56. Born on June 25, 1969, at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, he was the son of Thomas and Karen (nee Natvig) Handford. Kyle attended Whittier Elementary School and enjoyed an active youth, participating in numerous athletic activities including the Par Cay Players. He fondly spent his summers working as a lead lifeguard at Horeb Pool and volunteering as a firefighter for the town of Waukesha. After graduating from Waukesha South High School in 1988, he continued his education at the University of Minnesota. In 2001, driven by his compassion for helping others, Kyle enlisted in the United States Navy. He completed his training at Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois and San Diego Naval Base, and actively served as a corpsman in Fallujah during the Iraq Conflict. Following his service he worked at a hospital in Carlsbad, California and then for the VA Hospital in Madison. Kyle settled in Adams County, Wisconsin, where he found peace in caring for his property and actively contributed to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) organization. 

In February 2024, Kyle was diagnosed with cancer and returned home to Waukesha, where he was lovingly cared for by his mother, Karen. His family expresses heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional care provided by the VA Hospital in Madison and by ProHealth Hospice, especially to his nurse, Dennis, for his outstanding support during this challenging time.

Kyle is survived by his mother, Karen; his sister, Kristin Handford; his brother, Kurt (Ann) Handford; nephews Liam and Kelan Duff; his niece, Stephanie Handford; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Tom.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 10:30am until the 12:00 noon memorial service at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 424 Hyde Park Ave., Waukesha, WI 53188. A luncheon will follow. Burial with full military honors will take place at a later date at Roselawn Memorial Park in Monona, WI. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Kyle’s name are appreciated to the Oxford Neenah Valley VFW Post 6003, N3250 1st Dr Oxford, WI 53952, St. Mark’s Ev. Lutheran Church, 424 Hyde Park Ave., Waukesha, WI 53188 or to the charity of the donor’s choice.