Glenn D. Hanrahan of Gleason, WI, lost his long battle with cancer on June 8, 2014. Glenn, the oldest of six children, was the son of Glenn and Lorraine (nee Ivio) Hanrahan born January 2, 1945 in Ironwood, MI.
His family moved to the farm in Gleason in 1950. Here he began his lifelong love of working outdoors and operating all types of farm and construction equipment. In the gravel pit on the farm, Glenn built roads with big CAT equipment. Actually, the CAT equipment was only a wooden block but the love of the CAT brand heavy equipment stayed with him throughout his life.
After graduating from Merrill High School in 1963, Glenn started working for Kraemer Construction Co. He spent all his working years operating heavy equipment and machinery in various states. He even was a mechanic in a salt mine.
Very dear to Glenn were his best buddies Ivan, Dennis and George. Sharing the memories of times spent with his friends brought tears as he would recall the hours and hours they spent together in every situation imaginable.
Glenn also operated the Township of Russell road grader and snow plow for more than 20 years. His expertise and pride was a perfectly graded road. Each lane of travel had to be sloped just so; no water should puddle. In winter, any hour of the night, Glenn was out checking the condition of the roads. If warranted, without a second thought, out came the plow. He did his job always mindful of safety for drivers.
Like a mother hen, Glenn magically drew children to him. Not a kid that ever met him hasn’t come under his wing. Saturday, was load the kids into the pickup and off to Fleet in Antigo. Each kid hoping it was their turn to be the lucky one to land the best toy. As the kids grew, he did his best to say in touch. He never forgot a birthday.
Glenn married his high school sweetheart, Fern Plamann. Their marriage ended while they lived in Michigan. He is survived by their daughter, Ranay Nicholas, of Merrill; and her sons, Danny, Brett, and Josh. He is further survived by son, Jacob ‘Jake’; and Jake’s mother, Mary Kay Lapsenburg; his special friend, Diane Back of Merrill; one brother, Duane Hanrahan, Tomahawk; and three sisters, Lavonne (Larry) Gustavson, Merrill, Phyllis (Donald) Moen, Hannibal, Missouri, and Darleen (Walter) Woiten, Tomahawk.
“What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose; all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller
Visitation will be from 12 Noon until 2:00 P.M. on Friday, June 13, 2014, at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill. Burial will follow in the Gleason Cemetery, Town of Russell.
Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com