Obituary of Herman Martin Danczyk

Herman Martin Danczyk, age 75,  Hwy. N, Marathon, WI walked into the arms of the Lord, on Monday, October 30^th, after an untimely death while making fire wood to heat the family home.

Herman was born July 29, 1948 at St. Michaels Hospital, Stevens Point, WI, eighth child of the late Leo Stephen and Theresa (Gburek) Danczyk. His mother died when he was 6 years old, from cancer. He attended Cole and Guenther country schools, and graduated 1966 from Mosinee High School. He also completed continuing educational courses at the North Central Technical College in Wausau and a Home Inspection course in Waukesha, WI.

He met his wife, Sandy, after they stood up together for his brother Chester’s wedding in 1968. He married Sandra M. Stencil, August 28, 1971 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Edgar, WI. Together they had three children: Shelly (Dan Heerts), Christopher (Audra Tompkins) Danczyk and Scott (Tammy) Danczyk. They celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary in 2021. He was always proud that he picked the perfect girl to have a family with, work together, enjoy spending summers fishing together and grow old with.

Herman was employed with the Mosinee Ranger Station 1966-1970, Wisconsin Fuel & Light Company-15 years as a Gas Service Technician, 12 years as an Energy Consultant for Residential customers, worked 3 years at Energy Discoveries as a Commercial Consultant and Home Inspector and was employed for 9 years at Wisconsin Public Service as a Designer 1, for Commercial Electrical and Natural Gas Services and Main Extensions. He had a total of 39.5 years working for utility companies. Together with his wife Sandy, they owned Dansten L.L.P. Rental Properties in Mosinee, for 20 years. They also farmed ginseng with his brothers Louie and Ambrose for 20 years.

His interests included hunting deer, duck, goose and fishing. He enjoyed riding his 2006 Harley Electric Glide, 2020 Harley Trike and 1968 BSA motorcycles. He was known as a “MacGyver”, someone who could fix anything and everything.  He built their home in 1973. He loved old-fashioned Polish home cooking and every flavor of pie! He enjoyed a cold Point beer and could make a great Old Fashioned! He enjoyed Sandy’ flowers as much as she did and faithfully trimmed transplanted and watered them. He liked a well-trimmed moustache and beard, his hair cut short, shirts with the top button open and his sleeves rolled up, western boots, camo caps, Old Spice and Musk after-shave, getting a farmer’s tan, a firm mattress and a feather pillow, wood heat, buttered popcorn, soft ice cream, western movies, Ford vehicles, John Deere tractors, Wrangler jeans, Jean shirts, Craftsman tools-neatly arranged in his tool box, every tool put back in its designated place, a clean organized house, to sleep late and the color blue. As a child he raised rabbits, at one time having 144 of them, and would sell the meat to grocery stores.  After high school, for three years, he worked at the Mosinee Ranger Station, manning the fire tower. He loved it when his children would value his input and seek out his help on projects. He liked to love-sit his grandchildren, camping, teaching his grandchildren to hunt, fish and water ski. He taught all his children and grandchildren how to flay a fish. He enjoyed carpentry. He liked stopping at religious shrines throughout the United States but especially at the Our Lady of Champion in Champion, WI and the shrines on Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain in Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina. He felt blessed to have a wife that enjoyed working, fishing and traveling with him. They travelled to Hawaii, Medjugorje, Rome, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks and Canada. On his bucket list: return to Medjugorje (for a third time, because “Mary is calling us”), visit Alaska and see Niagara Falls. He loved spoiling pets by giving them treats, playing with his dogs Sporty and Sheppie, and hunting with some of his other dogs, most notably Bullet, Charlie and Beau. He was proud that he was able to teach all his children and grandchildren how to water ski. Herman and Sandy enjoyed spending most of their summers on the lake fishing, usually taking three grandchildren at a time, with them. He loved taking the grandchildren camping and fishing and everyone crashing at grandpa’s camper for the night and playing cards. He was known at the Hiawatha Campground (Minocqua, WI) as the “Grandpa with all the grandchildren!” A title he cherished! He was proud to have a grandson John, and a godson Danny, and a granddaughter become an Alter server for Mass.  He was honored to be his grandsons, Seth’s and Joshua’s, Confirmation sponsor. He is proud of the kind, loving, helpful, hard working adults his children have become, and that they continue, through their actions, to carry on the faith instilled in them growing up. He graciously welcomed his son in-law, Dan, and daughters-in-law, Tammy & Audra, because “if my children love them, and they are happy together, I love them too!” He was looking forward to his grandchildren’s future spouses and proud of the women they are choosing to date.

Survivors include his wife Sandy, his daughter Shelly (Dan Heerts)-Holmen, WI, and two sons, Christopher Danczyk (Audra Tompkins) Stevens Point, WI & Scott (Tammy) Danczyk-Mosinee, WI. He is further survived by eight grandchildren: Seth (Kelsee Willett) St. Louis Park, MN, Caleb (Lynzi Stauder), Joshua (Caylin Kujak), Aaron, Elijah, Micah, John & Eve Heerts, Holmen, WI, two Step-grandchildren Amber (Dylan) Miller, Stevens Point, WI and Justin (Alyssa) Lloyd, Rosholt, WI, and four step-great grandchildren Owen, Oliver & Isla Miller and Beau Lloyd. He is also survived by two brothers Henry (Stevens Point, WI) and Louie Danczyk (Mosinee, WI) and a sister-in-law, Karen Danczyk, Stevens Point. He is also survived by his God Children:  Robin (Dvorak) Henley, Danny Danczyk, Amy (Knapp) Masanz, Rebecca (Stencil) Seubert, Jacqueline (Stencil) Piechowski.

He was preceded in death by his parents Theresa (1954) Leo (1989), two infant sisters: Gertrude (1932) & Antoinette (1933) and three brothers: Lenard (infant-1939), Chester (2018), Ambrose (2018) (Mosinee) Danczyk. He was also preceded by his Godparents Flex and Regina Danczyk and Confirmation sponsor Ted Danczyk and his father in-law John S. Stencil (2004) and mother in-law Regina Stencil (2015).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 712 Market Street, Marathon City, WI with Rev. Msgr. Joseph Diermeier officiating.    Burial will follow at the parish cemetery on Hwy B, Marathon City, WI. A luncheon will follow. Family and friends are invited to gather on Sunday at the church for a time of visitation from 12 noon until time of services. Pallbearers will be grandchildren: Seth, Caleb, Joshua, Aaron, Elijah, Micah, John Heerts and Justin Lloyd. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a memorial yet to be determined in Herman’s name.

Life Tributes Funeral Home-Spencer is assisting the family. Visit www.lifetributesfuneralhome.com to share condolences with the family.