Dr. Donald Eugene Hanlon

Dr. Donald Eugene Hanlon, 92, formerly of Adel, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at The Bridges at Ankeny Senior Living. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 18th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home - Adel Chapel, with Rosary beginning at 3:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 19th at 10 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Waukee. Burial to be held at Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry following funeral service and luncheon.

Don was born June 26, 1932, in Perry, Iowa to Mark and Mary (Andrews) Hanlon. He graduated from St Patrick’s Catholic High School and went on to study at Loras College, Iowa State College, and in 1959 graduated from the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines. Don practiced medicine in Lohrville for a short time and then in Bayard for 6 years. It was there that he first met his future wife, Dorene Hirschberg, as a minor accident required a visit to his clinic. After a brief courtship, Don and Dorene were married in 1965 and relocated to Adel in 1966 where Don took over the Adel Clinic medical practice. There they lovingly raised their six daughters.

Don practiced in Adel for nearly 37 years and was known for his quiet, humble nature and dedication to his patients; many he considered to be great friends. He would often be found on the sidelines at a home football game with his doctor’s bag, ready to assist if needed.  He was known for taking phone calls and making house calls at all hours of the night, well after the days when it was common practice; he saw this as part of the job. Besides his career, Don enjoyed spending time at Lake Panorama with his family, working on do-it-yourself projects, bicycling or rollerblading along the trails in Adel, swimming laps at the pool, pursuing his interest in family history, and setting up his holiday nativity scene that featured lights and music. Fried chicken and ice cream were his favorites, and his wit and crooked grin would arise every so often. In his later years, he could often be found driving around Adel and on occasion stopping at friends' homes/businesses for a brief check in.

Left to cherish Don’s memory are his six daughters, Renee (Bill) Spratt of Elkhart, Michele Hanlon of Des Moines, Lisa (Mark) Mickelson of Ankeny, Christine (Dean) Tranel of Madrid, Bridget (George) Jaegers of Grimes, and Andrea (Matt) Patitz of Fayetteville, Arkansas; nine grandchildren, Kylie (Alberto) Lara, Emily (Jared) Calvert, Hailey Mickelson, Elizabeth Tranel, Collin Spratt, Josie and Vivi Patitz, and Kelsey and Ian Jaegers; great-grandsons, Zeke and Eli Lara; countless loving nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, cousins and friends.  He was preceded in death by his wife Dorene, his parents, his brothers, Lawrence, Francis, Bernard, and Jerry, and a sister, Mary Ellen Putnam.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Miracle Travel Works, miracletravelworks.org/events, or the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association, https://www.raccoonrivervalleytrail.org/suppporttheloop. Online condolences can be made to the family at caldwellparrish.com.