Full Obituary

　
      DENNIS D. HEDLER, age 66, of Wasilla, Alaska, formerly of Thorp, WI, passed away at his home on Friday, September 16, 2016.  Funeral services will be held at 10am on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church, in Thorp.  Fr. Janusz Kowalski will officiate and burial will follow in New St. Hedwig's Catholic Cemetery, in Thorp.  Visitation will be held from 5pm to 8pm at Thorp Funeral Home on Friday, September 23, 2016, and again at the church, on Saturday, from 9am until time of service.
     Dennis Dean Hedler was born on July 20, 1950 in Stanley, WI, to Francis "Deacon" and Lillian "Red" (Sierocuk) Hedler.  He was raised in Thorp and received his elementary education at Thorp Catholic School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1968.  After high school, he attended Chippewa Valley Technical College until he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during the Vietnam War in the U.S. Army Artillery Unit.  After his discharge from the Army in March of 1972, he was united in marriage on October 7, 1972 to Carol Ann Sauer at St. Hedwig's Chapel, in Thorp.  In 1974, they moved to Unity, WI and Denny worked for Reigel Plumbing in Marshfield, WI.  Later, he worked as a plumber for Holtzhausen Plumbing & Heating in Colby, WI, then formed a partnership with Hedler/Spencer Plumbing later starting his own plumbing business, Hedler Plumbing.  In September 2001, they moved to Wasilla, Alaska and he worked for Advanced Plumbing & Heating.
     Denny’s passion for life, adventure, and family, will forever be an inspiration to his loved ones.  He often saw the bigger picture and allowed others to make their own conclusions.  He was a gentle man with a fantastic sense of humor.  People often came to him for guidance and support.  He never held a grudge and was quick to forgive others, expecting nothing in return.  Denny was a social man that everyone knew and loved.
     The outdoors was the highlight for Denny.  He enjoyed hunting moose, caribou, white tail deer, and fishing in the waters of Wisconsin and Alaska.  He was blessed to have good friends who would take him on exciting trips and he always had a story to tell about his outdoor experiences.  This was his way of not only enjoying himself, but enjoying time with his family and friends.
     Denny will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.  He was a loving and caring son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and uncle to a large and beautiful family.
     He will be dearly missed by his wife, Carol, of Wasilla, AK; one son: Eric (Amy) of Anchorage, AK; 2 daughters: Jill Urofsky of Georgetown, TX, Sara (Luis) Garcia of Austin, TX; 3 grandchildren: Hannah, Dalton and Murray, all of Georgetown, TX; his mother: Lillian Hedler of Thorp; 5 sisters: Nancy (Tom) Woods of Neillsville, Peggy (Dan) Stroinski of Thorp, Sally Hedler of Wasilla, AK, Lynn (Jim) Isenberger of Stanley, Sue Hedler of Thorp; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
     He was preceded in death by his father, Francis, on October 1, 2010.