Wayne Dunkel, age 86 of Hastings, passed away on January 16, 2026. Preceded in death by his parents, Henry & Bernice; brother, Stanley; sister, Janet Oellien; niece, Elizabeth Christenson; and nephew, James Dunkel. Survived by his siblings, Joan (Harold) Christenson and Harold “Harry” (Dena) Dunkel; brother-in-law, Carl (Mary) Oellien; numerous nieces and nephews.
Wayne was born, raised, and lived in Hastings until his passing. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1957. Wayne proudly served in the U.S. Army for a total of 6 years. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 47. Wayne went to St. Paul Vo-Tech for Machine Tool & Die Processes. He was a diemaker until retiring in 2006. Wayne enjoyed hunting, fishing, gun collecting/refurbishing, skeet trapshooting, and woodworking. He loved animals, Wayne especially enjoyed feeding the squirrels, birds, and cats in his yard.
Memorial Service at 12:00pm on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel, 3075 Vermillion St., Hastings, with a visitation one hour prior. Private family burial at Lakeside Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Legion Post 47 or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel
www.starksonfamily.com
