Daniel "Dan" LaRocque

Daniel Leo LaRocque (July 11, 1936 – December 29, 2025) – brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, relentless collector of stories and friends, and proud Yooper – has died surrounded by those who loved him.

Born and rooted in St. Ignace, Michigan, Dan was Catholic, a faith that informed his sense of obligation and life in quiet, enduring ways, practiced with an open mind. He loved St. Ignace fiercely, treasured the lifelong friendships he made there, and was proud of his role in helping build the Mackinac Bridge.

He raised his five children in Wausau and later moved to Madison. Devoting his professional life to public service, he began as a District Attorney, moved on to the Circuit Court, and ultimately served as an Appellate Judge, a path that suited both his temperament and tolerance for argument. Though the law was his calling, Dan never confused authority with ego. He respected precedent but wasn’t afraid to question it, valued tradition but embraced change, understood that justice, like life, works best when tempered with humility and a sense of humor, and believed that justice is incomplete without mercy.

Dan was married to Jean Frey, his affectionate wife of 31 years, with whom he shared a full life – a partnership that required and rewarded patience, and was fortified by mutual adoration. He built a life of family and friends defined by spirited debate, strong opinions, and an unspoken understanding for navigating the beautiful chaos of life.

He followed sports with enthusiasm, usually in the company of a drink, a cigar, and conversation. A restless and rambunctious bon vivant, driven to squeeze the juice out of every experience, he had a love of novelty, finding the curious in every day.

Dan was an animated storyteller, channeling the rich tradition of his Irish ancestors. He preserved tales in creative collections and personal albums – serving as both historical records and evidentiary exhibits of a life lived boldly, as if standing still were not an option. He shared these stories generously, each one a tapestry woven from his keen observations and joyful spirit, leaving behind a rich legacy of remembrances.

Preceded in death by his parents, Eustache and Elizabeth Cullnan, and his brother Jim, he is survived by his sister, Cathy Wong; his wife, Jean; his children, Ruth, Jean, Briget, Brendan and Kate; stepson Tony; sons-in-law Tim, Stephan, and Mike; daughter-in-law Meera; grandchildren Rabiya, Svetlana, Miles, Ava, Abby, and Charlie; beloved nieces and nephews; Frey family in-laws; childhood friends George and Barb Yshinski; and many others who valued his mind, his wit, and his refusal to treat life as something that needed to be smoothed over.

He believed that argument was a form of respect, that a little theater improved most proceedings, and that not everything needed a concluding statement. The rest, he would have said, could be left to the record.

Visitation and Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 5001 North Sherman Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin. Visitation will take place from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, followed by the Funeral Mass at 12:00 noon.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the organization of your choice.

To view this obituary or leave a memory, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

2418 N. Sherman Avenue

608-249-8257