Racine - Hank Bardenhagen died on June 15, 2011, after complications following open-heart surgery on May 9. Born in Flushing, NY, on September 7, 1943, to Henry and Grete Bardenhagen, he graduated from Concordia Preparatory School in Bronxville, NY and Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN. On August 7, 1965, he married Kathleen Boerger at St. John's Lutheran Church in Racine. In 2000, Hank retired from a long career as a self-employed manufacturers' sales representative. From 1992 to 2000, he also owned and operated a retail woodworking store, WoodCuts, which was located in Caledonia. In his retirement, Hank became an accomplished woodturner, making thousands of both beautiful and functional pieces. He took great joy in teaching people to turn, and taught classes at The Clearing in Door County, Woodcraft in Milwaukee, and gave private lessons. He made wonderful friends through this passion in his life. Hank was a member of the Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area, and Chicago Woodturners, and the American Association of Woodturners. He was a generous and affectionate man who loved a good book, a good joke, observing nature and most of all, spending time with his family. It was in this retirement that he found one of his true callings in life, that of being an Opa (Grandpa) to eventually eight grandchildren. Always ready with a hug or to listen to a story, they all loved him dearly and they were among his greatest joys in life.Hank was an active member of the Racine community and dedicated many years to volunteer work. He was a member of the YMCA for 30 years and was a Y Ambassador for many of those years. He volunteered as a teacher for school programs at River Bend Nature Center and served on the boards of Peace Lutheran Church and Racine Lutheran High School. He will be sorely missed by his wife Kathy; daughters Kirsten (Tim) Graves, Heidi (fiance Ryan Hoffland) Bardenhagen; son Eric (Rebecca) Bardenhagen, former son-in-law Sasha Oldenburger; grandchildren Katie, Emma, Julia, and Claire Graves, Anna, Elise, and Karsten L. Bardenhagen, and Karsten A. Oldenburger; stepmother-in-law Ingrid Boerger; sisters Irene Edison, Karen Bartolotta, and Heidi (Mike) Giordano; nieces, nephews, and many other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Henry and Grete Bardenhagen, in-laws Fred and Catherine Boerger, and brother-in-law David Boerger. Funeral services for Hank will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, 1619 Newman Road, on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Cash Myers officiating. Interment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the funeral home on Monday evening from 5 until 8 p.m. and again on Tuesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to The Clearing Folk School, Peace Lutheran Church, Valparaiso University, or your favorite charity.The family wishes to thank Dr. Jack Manley, Dr. Husam Balkhy, Father Paul, and all of the skilled and dedicated nurses and staff at the Wisconsin Heart Hospital. They were wonderfully loving and caring, and were like a family to Hank and his loved ones.