Aug. 2, 1930 – Nov. 12, 2018

This is dedicated to Wendell Wayne Hahn, born in Springfield on Aug. 2, 1930. To many he was known as Buzz, but to me he was Grandpa. I didn’t realize how incredible this man was and how fortunate I was to have him in my life until I got a little older. This past November he passed away at the age of 88, completing his full life and now is reunited with his wife, Ruth, and son, Steve.

Wendell served his country in the United States Navy as a Quartermaster-Signalman during the Korean War. Afterwards, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and political science and graduated with honors from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Much to the delight of his parents, he returned to Springfield and became president, CEO and board chairman of his family business, Federated Funeral Directors of America, which his father established in 1925. Under Wendell’s guidance, Federated became a highly respected financial service firm, uniquely serving over 1,400 funeral homes across the country.

He had a lifelong affiliation with the Scouts BSA, serving as president of the Abraham Lincoln Council and as OA Chapter Lodge Chief. He was also an Eagle Scout and was a Vigil Honor and Silver Beaver Award recipient. In 2013 he was awarded the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award by the eight-county Abraham Lincoln Council. A lifelong athlete and sports enthusiast, he was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and, on occasion, was happy to see the Cubs win, too.

He was a servant of God by the way he lived his life – every single day, every single moment, through his unique, cheerful nature, moral straightness and selfless service. What he understood about life that is something so dear and so simple, is that, in the words of Vivian Greene, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Submitted by his grandson, Tim Hahn