Donald Hable, Don, Donnie, passed to eternal life on Monday, April 7, 2025.  Don was born on his grandpa Bischel’s farm in the town of Bloomer, to Ted and Ethel (Bischel) Hable, on April 26, 1940.  The oldest of eleven children, he grew up on the family farm in the Town of Woodmohr, south of Bloomer.  He learned to cut and rake hay, driving the team of horses that his dad would harness, and he would take to the field to hook to the tongue and heel chains of the equipment.  Until Don left the farm, the cows were all milked by hand. 

Don spent three years at Holy Cross Seminary, LaCrosse, WI.  He graduated from McDonell High School in 1959.  Don also graduated from DeVRY Technical Institute in Industrial Electronics; UWEC in Business Administration and later completed a master’s program at UW-Stout in Management Technology.  Don worked at Milprint (Milwaukee), Fabri-tek and Cray Research in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.  He operated the Hobble Inn for 14 years.  Don was clerk and then chairman of the Town of Wheaton, serving the town for 10 years.  He served two terms on the Chippewa County Board.  At the instigation of an insurance agent resident of the Town of Wheaton, Don called for the first meeting of the town chairman that formed the original Chippewa Fire Protection District. 

Don married Nancy Scarpace on October 6, 1962, at Queen of the Peace Church in Milwaukee.  They had four children.  After they divorced, Don married Claudia (Hagen) Mueller on June 11, 1988, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Chippewa Falls. 

Don loved to play cards but his two favorite things to do were walking on water and changing water into wine.  Neither event was miraculous.  He loved to ice fish in winter.  He loved to turn the cherries and berries and leaves he found on the home farm fence lines and his woods into wine, experimenting with new combinations and recipes.

Don and Claudia finished a two-year diocesan lay formation program in 2003.  Claudia was involved in outreach activities and music ministry.  Don served mass and brought the Word, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity to the homebound and those in assisted living.  Don was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 and the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Bishop Fulton J. Sheen Assembly.

Don is survived by his wife, Claudia; his children, Cheryl (James) Krhin, Cottage Grove, MN, Carol (Tom) Roecklein, St. Paul, MN, Cathrine (Rocky) Jaspal, Woodbury, MN, and James (Lisa) Hable, Chippewa Falls.  He is further survived by his stepchildren, Zachary Mueller, Los Angeles, Trent Mueller, Lance Mueller, and Trace Mueller, Chippewa Falls; as well as nine grandchildren, Elliot, Evan, and Emily Krhin, Carly and Billy Roecklein, Chandni and Anika Jaspal, Tristin and Elijah Hable; and five step grandchildren, Derek (Beth) and Tucker Mueller, Lynsey and Landon Mueller, and Turner Woods; and great granddaughter, Madelyn Mueller.  Don is also survived by two brothers, Kenneth (Karla) Hable, Chetek, and Eugene Hable, Colfax; four sisters, Helen Hable, Chippewa Falls, Rita Bellinger, Bloomer, Jane Rosewood (Ken Holmes), Jim Falls, and Judy (Al) Nimtz, Bloomer; sisters in-law, Kathy Johnstad, Eau Claire, and Kim (Maury) Lewitt, Encino, CA.

Don was preceded in death by both his parents, and four brothers, Norbert Hable, Joseph Hable, Jerry Hable and Art Hable, Bloomer; brothers in-law, Lloyd Zwiefelhofer, Bob Bellinger, Alvin Hagen and Conrad Johnstad; sisters in-law, Carol Hagen, and Geni Miller; daughter in-law, Jodie Mueller; and granddaughters, Robin Roecklein, and Angel Woods.        

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Don’s honor at 11 AM on Monday, April 14 at St. Charles Catholic Church followed by burial at Hope Cemetery in Chippewa Falls.

Visitation will be held from 1 PM until 4 PM on Sunday, April 13 at the Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls with a Rosary conducted by the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 at 4 PM.

AFTER SERVICE NOTICE:

Funeral services for Donald J. Hable were held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 14 at St. Charles Church in Chippewa Falls.

Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Gorman was celebrant of the funeral Mass assisted by Mass servers, Steve Armstrong and Peter Murphy.

Music during the Mass was provided by Abigail Lynch and the St. Charles Funeral Choir. Readings were given by Lisa Hable and Cheryl Krhin. Gift bearers were Elijah and Tristin Hable and Turner Woods.

Casket bearers were Elliot, Evan, and Emily Krhin, Carly and Billy Roecklein, Chandni and Anika Jaspal, Tristin and Elijah Hable, Derek and Tucker Mueller, Lynsey and Landon Mueller and Turner Woods.

Sunday afternoon the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 and their chaplain, Rev. Gorman led the knight in the recitation of the rosary.

The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Bishop Fulton J. Sheen Assembly formed an honor guard at the service.