Wayne Hanke

Wayne Glen Hanke passed away peacefully on Friday, December 26, 2025, at the age of 95, at Phillips County Retirement Center, Phillipsburg. He was born to Oscar and Louise (Meyer) Hanke on August 2, 1930. He was baptized at Emmanuel Lutheran church in Stuttgart on August 31, 1930. He was confirmed on August 6, 1944. He spent his whole life living on the family farm until he and his wife, Dorothy, had to move into Phillips County Retirement Home in 2019.

Wayne went to school at Prairie View playing basketball during his high school years. After graduating from high school in 1948, he attended K-State University, where he was part of the poultry judging team that went to the nationals in Chicago. In 1951, he left college to return to the family to help his father with the farm work. Later that year he was drafted into the Marine Corp serving during the Korean War. He was stationed in South Korea. He was released from active duty in 1953 but stayed in the Marine reserves until September of 1959, being Honorably discharged. Wayne married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Bach, on April 25, 1953. This past April they celebrated 72 years of wedded bliss. To this union, 4 girls were born: Dawn, Debbie, Dee, and Darcie. The girls liked to tease him that they were going to change his name to DeWayne to go with the "D" theme. When asked if he ever missed having boys, he always said, "My boys will come later." While his daughters were growing up, he served as a project leader and community leader of the Lone Prairie 4-H Club where the girls were very active. His daughters remember their dad helping them break their steers and heifers to lead – also remember a few they could not get broke to lead. He served on the Emmanuel Lutheran church council, was council president, and was Sunday School superintendent for many years. Wayne was a farmer all his life growing crops (wheat, milo, sorghum and alfalfa), raising cattle pairs and several years fat cattle, and for many years was a pork producer. In the early years of their marriage, Wayne and Dorothy milked cows to sell the milk and cream, and also chickens to sell eggs and butchered hens.

Wayne is preceded in death by his parents; his older brother, Orville, and his wife, Freda; step-grandson Steve Bradley; two great-grandchildren, Angel and Dusty; father-in-law and mother-in-law, William and Helen Bach; and sister-in-law and her husband, Donna and Roger Robison.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his daughters Dawn (George) Bradley of Topeka, Debbie (Ray) Beckman of Salina, Dee (Johnny) Yocum of Prairie View, and Darcie (Doug) Van Allen of Phillipsburg, 13 grandchildren, Shawn (Rachel) Bradley, Cari Bradley, Jerry Bradley, John Bradley, Jennifer Beckman, Jerilynn (Jeron) Weisshaar, Jon (Sommer) Yocum, Joni Yocum, Joell (Chad) Wagenblast, Bryce (Jeanni) Van Allen, Brandon (Hannah) Van Allen, Brodie (Becca) Van Allen, and Larissa Billeter (special friend Jeremy Hueftle), 18 great grandchildren, 11 step great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren Amy, Tobi, and Monroe, and 7 step great great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. The services will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Burial will follow in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery.

Mr. Hanke will lie in state from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.
Memorials may be given to Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church or Phillips County Retirement Center.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. The services will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Burial will follow in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery.

Mr. Hanke will lie in state from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorials may be given to Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church or Phillips County Retirement Center.

The family would like to thank the staff of PCRC for the care they have given Wayne the past 6 years.