James Lee Hanke

It's with our deepest regrets that we share the passing of Lieutenant Colonel James Lee Hanke. James passed away at home on October 16th, 2022. He is survived by his three children Eillish, Aoife, and Shaymus, wife Kristen, sister Cheryl and nephew Joe, brother Wiliam, mother Deborah Wilkinson, father Brett Hanke, stepmother Ann, and best friend Patrick Sullivan.

James was a dedicated patriot and retired from the Army after 32 years of service. He earned numerous awards and honors including two Bronze Star medals during the Iraq Campaign. He was an accomplished scientist with multiple bachelor's degrees in Physics and Chemistry from University of Missouri (GO TIGERS), a Master of Chemical Physics from SUNY Stony Brook, and a Master of Science and Technology Intelligence from National Intelligence University. James' passion for learning and achieving was beyond what most would achieve in a lifetime much less by the age of 50!

Besides the love for his children and country, his passion for the Patriots football team ranked high. James was incredibly social and chatty. He loved meeting new people and enjoyed what he believed life was for - living. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and coworkers. We know his contributions to family and country will live on.

In lieu of flowers, the family offers an opportunity to donate towards the future education of his three children https://gofund.me/81e748fc or The Wounded Warrior Project. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery will be held in 2024.