Dorothy Arlene Bach Hanke passed away peacefully, May 21, 2026, at the Phillips County Retirement Center. Dorothy was born November 30th 1930, to William and Helen Bach. Dorothy was baptized into the Christian faith at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Stuttgart, KS. December 24, 1933. She received the Rite of Confirmation July 6, 1947.

Dorothy went to Costella School in first – fifth grade and Stuttgart Elementary from 6th- 8th grade. She attended high school in Phillipsburg, graduating in 1951. After she graduated from high school, she went to nursing school at Stormont-Vail in Topeka from 1951-1953 dropping out to get married, April 25, 1953, to Wayne Hanke who she had met through Luther League at church. They had 72 years of wedded bliss and were blessed with 4 daughters, Dawn, Debbie, Dee and Darcie. Dorothy’s life was spent as a farm wife working alongside Wayne on the family farm until they moved to Phillips County Retirement Center in 2019. She also served as a Sunday School Superintendent, 4-H Sewing leader for the Lone Prairie 4-H club, and baked lots of chocolate chip cookies to satisfy Wayne’s and the grandchildren cookie craving. She was an accomplished seamstress and taught all her daughters to sew and made many dresses for her daughters and granddaughters. She also made baby quilts for all the grandchildren – some she sewed and some she crocheted. She babysat for Briely, Gunner and Joell before they each started school playing many games with them and helping them get ready for kindergarten.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, her parents, her younger sister, Donna and husband Roger Robison, father-in-law and mother-in-law Oscar and Louise Hanke, brother-in-law Orville and wife Freda, grandson Steve Bradley and by three great grandchildren, Angel Yocum, Dusty Yocum and Jaymes Bradley. She is survived by her 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 (Ronda)Bradley, John (Kim) Bradley, Jennifer Murphy-Bradlley, Jennifer Beckman, Jerilynn (Jeron) Weisshaar, Jon (Summer) Yocum, Joni Yocum, Joell (Chad) Wagenblast, Bryce (Jeanni) Van Allen, Brandon (Hannah) Van Allen, Brodie (Becca) Van Allen, and Larissa (Jeremy) Hueftle, 18 great grandchildren, Tucker and Lucas Bradley, Kennedy, Maddux, Landry and Rowan Weisshaar, Briely and Gunner Yocum, Mia and Ky Wagenblast, Lucus, Alex, Natalie and Vanessa Van Allen, Theron Van Allen, and Austin, Elise, and Ellison Billeter, 3 great, great grandchildren Amy Yocum, Tobi and Monroe Yocum, 10 step great grandchildren, and 7 step great, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews, Rodney (Tami) Robison, Ricky (Vicki) Robison, Rachelle (Mark) Leggett, Forrest (Belinda)Hanke and Christine (Kenneth) Cloern.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. Burial will follow in the Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Stuttgart.

Mrs. Hanke will lie in state from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church or the Phillips County Retirement Center.

Hugunin Family Funeral Homes, Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.