Roxanne Lynn (Thorp) Hanrahan, age 67, of Spooner, WI, died on Monday, February 22, 2021, at Shell Lake Health Care Center.  She was born on May 15, 1953, to Arnold and Pauline (Crandall) Thorp in Shell Lake.

Roxanne attended D.C. Everest High School in Schofield, WI, where she was a cheerleader and in student government.  After graduation, she worked as a waitress and for the Department of Motor Vehicles in California.  She was trained in Administrative Support Services, worked for Johnson Controls, and for OSHA in Madison, WI.

Roxanne married Sean Hanrahan, originally from Ireland, after he'd served in Vietnam.  They wed in Spooner where her sister Pam was maid-of-honor and cousin Gordy, the best man.  Their son, Brendan, was born in California in 1977.

Roxanne had beautiful blue eyes, long red hair, a lovely smile, and a kind heart.  She enjoyed music, flowers, weeding, nature, and adventure.  Roxy especially liked the Blues, which led to a friendship with musician, John Lee Hooker.  Because of this friendship, she met many prominent Blues musicians.

She loved traveling and shared especially happy memories of living near the ocean in Monterey, California.  She was an avid reader with a good sense of humor, which Brendan and his friends always enjoyed.  She maintained a quick wit to the end, despite her fragile health.

She loved her parents and remembered having a wonderful childhood.  As a little girl, she believed she had red hair because her Uncle Stan told her he had planted some of his on the top of her head.

Pauline and Roxy shared their final years together in the home Arnie built outside of Spooner.  Pauline wrote last November, how much it meant to have Roxy there after Arnie died and more recently when Roger passed.

Roxanne is survived by her son, Brendan Thorp Hanrahan - Eau Claire, WI; her sister, Pamela Thorp - Oshkosh, WI; niece, Amy Reynolds (Lee) - Fort Atkinson WI; aunt, Virginia Krenz – Minong, WI; uncle, Ted Crandall (Judy) - Stone Lake, WI; and many cousins.

Preceding her in death are her parents; brother, Roger Thorp; and brother-in-law, Michael Wertel.

A celebration of Roxanne's life will be held at a later date.

Last Update: Mar 01, 2021 2:49 pm CST