Daniel E. Hokens

Daniel Evan Hokens was born November 9, 1938 of parents August “Gus” and Agnes Hokens near Matchwood Township, Michigan.

He grew up on a dairy farm in Ontonagon County, Michigan; the second of three children with older sister Kristin and younger brother Alan.

Dan graduated from Bergland High School in 1956 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan in 1960.

Dan started work with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Riverdale, North Dakota working on the Garrison Dam project. In October of 1960 he moved to Lincoln, NE where he met his soon to be wife Marie who was working for the Soil Conservation Service and they were married in Lincoln in 1962.

They moved to Omaha in 1961 where Dan worked for the Omaha District of the US Army Corps of Engineers in downtown Omaha. Their first son, Kent was born in 1963 followed by their second son, Dale in 1964.

In 1967 the family moved to Gretna, Nebraska where Dan lived for almost 60 years. His wife Marie passed in 2009 from cancer and he never remarried. Dan was an active member of Resurrection Lutheran church the entire time he lived there.

For the Corps of Engineers Dan worked many roles and was a leader in the organization. Over his career he was the Chief of Structures and Bridges, Special Projects, Monitoring and Evaluation, and the Geotechnical Branch. He finished his career in the Missouri River Division office in Omaha.

He was awarded many honors for outstanding performance, commendations and letters of appreciation and in 1984 was awarded the Presidential Award.

Dan retired at age 55 in 1994. Dan and Marie spent many years traveling the country, making many lasting memories with family and friends.

Dan liked to work in the yard and always had a huge garden on their 1 ½ acre plot of land. Other hobbies included carpentry and woodworking making many fine pieces of furniture. He also liked to golf and played his entire life. Fishing was another passion of Dan’s. He started fishing as a kid in the streams of Michigan and had a fishing boat after retirement that he would take to South Dakota at least a couple times a year to fish for Walleye.

In his later years, Dan spent winters in Casa Grande, Arizona golfing and enjoying the warmer weather and returned to Gretna for the summer months.

Dan was preceded in death by wife of 46 years: Marie; his parents: “Gus” and Agnes Hokens; his in-laws: Vernon and Elizabeth Jameson.

Dan is survived by his sister: Kristin Sorgenfrei; brother: Alan Hokens; brothers-in-law: Ron Sorgenfrei, Tom Jameson; sister-in-law: Joyce Hokens; sons: Kent (Linda) Hokens and Dale (Katherine) Hokens.

There will be a Visitation 2:00-4:00 PM Sunday (5/17/2026) at Roeder Mortuary Gretna Chapel 11710 Standing Stone Dr. Gretna, NE; Service 10:00 AM Monday (5/18/2026) at Resurrection Lutheran Church 153 S. McKenna Ave. Gretna, NE; Burial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Omaha, NE.

In lieu of flowers memorials to Resurrection Lutheran Church.

Roeder Mortuary, Inc. - Gretna Chapel - 11710 Standing Stone - Gretna, NE - 402-332-0090

www.RoederMortuary.com