Person:William Hankes (1)

About William "Bill" Hankes

After active duty, Bill returned to Wisconsin and entered the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, known as "UW-Whitewater", as a Business major, where he met his future wife, Diane Nelson whom he married on November 23, 1982. While attending college, Bill worked several part-time jobs as an "inventory evaluator" for the Small Business Administration, tutored astronomy for four years and worked weekends as a bartender to give him some spending money and help pay the bills.

Fresh out of college in 1981, Bill started got his first "real job", working for Hormel Foods in Davenport, Iowa, selling meat products and transferring to several of Hormel's offices in San Antonio, Texas; Eugene, Oregon; Wichita, Kansas; Austin, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon and eventually landed where he would remain for the rest of his life in Southern California. While working for Hormel there, Bill managed the west coast for Hormel's frozen food division until a consolidation took place in 1995 and he was moved back to the meat products division. Bill later described [in an interview for the Deli News Magazine] Hormel Foods as "a great company to work for, but we moved seven times. It was just time the family and I set some roots down", so when an opportunity came to work for cheese manufacturer Sorrento Cheese Corporation and stay in the Southern California area, Bill jumped at the opportunity.

Sorrento Cheese, now Sorrento-Lactalis, is one of the major cheese suppliers in the nation, with headquarters in Buffalo, New York. It has produced its Precious and Galbani cheese products which are sold in most major supermarkets in America. Bill Hankes represented Sorrento in Southern California, Arizona, Solorado and Hawaii. He would go on to become Sorrento's National Sales Manager/Alternative Channels, which included Sorrento's sales to club stores, military commissaries, catalogue, drug-mass merchandisers, internet sales and sales to U.S. companies that distribute internationally, working out of his home office in Orange County, California.

Bill Hankes was also active in volunteering his time to youth soccer during his two son's (Ryan and Kyle) formative years, serving as a referee for many years. He was also an active volunteer in Little League, Indian Guides, on the PTA and was an active mountain-biker, keeping himself in tip-top shape. On Christmas day, 2016, Bill suddently suffered a stroke and after recovering at home for a few weeks tragically passed away in his sleep on January 14, 2017, at just age 60.

Bill will always be remembered by his friends, co-workers and family for his tremendously positive outlook on life, his amazing drive and ambition, for being a true gentleman and an all-around good guy. He will be missed terribly by all that knew him, but never forgotten.

1. ↑ U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 2. (Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010).

   Name: William R Hankes
   Birth Date: 22 Jul 1956

2.   Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
   26 January 2017.

   
   
   William Hankes
   
   William “Bill” Hankes passed away Jan. 14, 2017.
   
   Bill was born July 22, 1956, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He joined the U.S. Navy at age 18 and served active duty for two years. After his enlistment he continued his naval career with the Navy Reserves for 23 years and retired as a chief petty officer. He graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1981, and was hired at Hormel Foods for 15 years. He moved to seven different states, and decided to reside in Southern California, working for Sorrento Lactalis as a national sales manager for the last 20 years. Having a very successful career he was also elected to the board of directors for a three-year term on the DDBC, and was treasurer for two years, and was deli council president in 2002. He was honored and highly respected in all careers of his life. Bill was a devoted husband, father and brother. He spent much of his free time traveling, hiking and engaging in sporting activities with his family.
   
   Bill is survived by his loving wife of 34 years Diane; his two wonderful sons Ryan and Kyle; future daughter-in-law Rachel; his two sisters Mary of Idaho, and Trish of Colorado. Loved by all, he leaves behind a multitude of family, friends and co-workers.
   
   http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/local/obituaries/article_04c004ee-7149-59eb-b372-26105e73d28e.html