David J. Hirn

     David J. Hirn, 68 years, of Sturgeon Bay, died Thursday, May 7, 2020 at home with Pam at his side, following a five-year battle with cancer.

     He was the son of Kenneth F. Hirn, a railroad engineer for the Green Bay and Western Railroad and Marie H. Honkomp Hirn. Marie worked for the Hanford Project in Washington State during World War II. She would come to own her own restaurant and later worked for Oreida Potato Processing in Plover Wisconsin.

David was born September 23, 1951 in Green Bay, Wisconsin and grew up in Wisconsin Rapids graduating from Assumption High School 1969. Immediately after high school, David enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served 4 years as a radioman with a tour in Iceland and two tours to Antarctica. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1973, he attended the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay and completed a Bachelor’s degrees in Human Growth and Development and Social Work and a Master’s degree in Community Human Services in 1979, while working at a suicide crisis center in Green Bay. He then attended the University of Oregon in Eugene and completed his Master’s degree in Counselor Education.

While in Oregon, David was lucky enough to meet Pamela Cellier to whom he has been happily married since 1981. They celebrated their marriage each year, September 12, at Cave Point County Park where they were married.  David was indeed a lucky man to have gone through life with such a wonderful and supportive love.

     David and Pamela were blessed with two children, Dana E. Hirn Mueller (Chris Mueller) of Minneapolis, MN, and Kyle D. Hirn (Alicia Hrachovec) of Seattle, Washington. David has one grandchild, Declan Hrachovec Hirn. David often said that no man was ever more blessed to have two such wonderful children, and his two children each have wonderful spouses who he adores.

     David completed his Eagle Scout Award in 1969 and spent his entire adult life serving in various Scouting leadership positions in both Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award and served as a Wood Badge Course Director in 2000. He served as a mentor for many Eagle Scouts in his units in Door County. He always enjoyed the boy’s antics on outings and at summer camp.  He loved to tell stories about all of them.

     David loved his work as the Mental Health Program Coordinator for the Door County Department of Health and Human Services for 30 years before retiring in 2011 and considered it an honor to serve his clients in their struggles. David then created his own mental health counseling and consulting business. David taught as a part time adjunct instructor in General Education at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College on the Sturgeon Bay and Luxemburg campuses. He claimed his inquisitive students kept him young. He enjoyed working with the staff and faculty at NWTC.

     David loved spending time outdoors, pruning trees, gardening, and managing their property. David leaves 1,000 undone projects. David is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Margo Marie Hirn Manz and, a half-sister, Barbara Ann Hirn Wolosek Liebenstein.

     Surviving David are his wife Pamela and their two children, Dana and Kyle and grandson Declan. He is also survived by nieces and nephews, Vicki Manz Maciejewski (David) of Wisconsin Rapids, and their children, Alison, Evan and Travis, Deanna Manz Brown (Roger) of Wisconsin Rapids, and their son Rusty, April Manz, and her children Abigail Nellesson, Rebecca Nellessen, Elizabeth Nellessen and Easton King, great-great nephew, Harley David Jacobson of Wisconsin Rapids, nephew, Cory Manz and his great nephew, Cody Manz (Melissa Ciriacks Manz), and their son, Callum Neil Manz and Ravyn Manz, all of Wisconsin Rapids. Ellen (Doug Hilgers) of Wisconsin Rapids, Anette (Ed) Locey of Withee, WI, and Robin Wolosek of Wisconsin Rapids. David has many beloved cousins. He is survived by many kind and compassionate acquaintances he met along the way who he will miss. 

     David spent years working on and is very proud of the genealogical collection he assembled for his children’s genealogical history. David would like to say goodbye to two friends, Ole and Lena.

     David was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at SS Peter and Paul Parish in Institute. David and Pam served as FOCCUS marriage preparation facilitators and enjoyed the couples that they helped prepare for marriage.

     David wanted to especially thank Father Bob Stegmann for his spiritual guidance and kindness through this journey. David would also like to thank the staff at Green Bay Oncology and the staff of Unity Hospice for their guidance to the end. At David’s request there will be no public services, private family time will be shared.

     Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC in Sturgeon Bay are assisting the Hirn family. Expressions of sympathy and memories of David may be shared with his family at through his tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.

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