Daniel "Dan" Scot Mathieu, age 54, passed away unexpectedly on January 7, 2026 at his home in Hartford, WI. He was born on June 10, 1971, to Walter and Carol (nee Schneider) Mathieu. Dan grew up in Lamartine, WI and graduated from high school in Oakfield, WI. After High School he served in the Army for 7 years, 2 of which he was stationed in Germany and Korea. Dan was honorably discharged as a Specialist with multiple awards and honors. He was blessed with 2 children in 1994 and 1997, Sierra and Mark.
In 2009 Dan met his wife, Michelle (Clausing) and her daughter Charlie. Dan and Michelle married on October 10, 2020, in Hartford. They loved spending time together outdoors, whether it was camping or tending to their yard and many flowers and trees. They traveled throughout Wisconsin and Michigan particularly loving Mackinaw City and Door County. He could always be counted on to spot deer in a field tree line 100 yards away but couldn't find the catsup in the refrigerator in the same place it always was!
Dan enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially Sierra and her husband Colin. If he could be outdoors he was. The summer before his passing he was teaching his son-in-law Jordan how to grill and tips for fishing. Dan was happiest when he had family around. He was doing his best to teach his granddaughter Sunnie how to play and crawl during her frequent visits. He could be seen napping almost every day with one of his favorite cats, Nicco. After Nic’s passing, we got Cinna and Sadie - Cinna would get all the tummy rubs from him while shy Sadie would watch from afar.
In 2017 Dan was diagnosed with Parkinson's then later Dementia. He did his best to take the diagnosis in stride and refused to let it define him. He loved his weekly visits to the VA to see his favorite Physical Therapist, Carl, and to connect with other Vets. All the TransStar drivers loved him!
Dan is survived by his wife, Michelle; children Sierra (Colin Welch) and Mark; stepdaughter Charlie (Jordan Gauger); granddaughter Sutton Gauger; his mother Carol Mathieu; siblings Harold and Thomas (Vicky); sister-in-law Linda; and nephew Brian. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Dan is preceded in death by his father, Walter ‘Wally’ Mathieu; his brothers Walter and Mark; his mother-in-law Joyce Clausing and his fur baby Nicco.
A Funeral Service will be at 6:00pm on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at the Phillip Funeral Home Chapel (1420 W Paradise Dr. West Bend, WI 53095). Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday, January 22nd from 4:00pm until 5:45pm.
Memorial donations may be made to the Family for medical expenses or The Parkinson’s Foundation.
A special thanks to the staff at the Clement J Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center Especially PT (Carl), OT (Jamie) and Neurology (Dr. Jacoviac & Gail), all the TransStar drivers, as well as Dr. Sheila Eichenseer (and her team) at Froedtert North Hills Neurology.