RACINE, WI — Wisconsin State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and his family are mourning the death of his daughter, Kathleen “Katie” (Wanggaard) Jensen, who died Sunday evening following a nearly four-year battle with cancer.
Wanggaard’s office announced the heartbreaking news Monday morning, saying Jensen died peacefully while surrounded by her family.
“We are devastated to inform you that Kathleen (Wanggaard) Jensen, the daughter of Van and Mary Jo Wanggaard, peacefully lost her nearly 4-year battle with cancer on Sunday evening, surrounded by her loving family,” the statement said.
Wanggaard’s office described Katie as a beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt and teacher whose life touched hundreds of people. The family thanked those who have offered prayers and support throughout her lengthy fight with cancer. A celebration of life is being planned for the coming weeks.
Jensen’s death comes just months before Wanggaard himself is scheduled to leave public office, and her illness played a significant role in his decision to end a lengthy career in the Wisconsin Legislature. Wanggaard, 73, announced in March that he would not seek another term representing Wisconsin’s 21st Senate District, saying both his own health and serious health problems within his family had convinced him that it was time to retire.
When announcing that decision, Wanggaard specifically discussed his daughter’s cancer diagnosis. He said that since his most recent election, he had lost three siblings, his daughter had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and one of his brothers had suffered a heart attack and was living with dementia. “That weighs on me more than you can know,” Wanggaard said at the time.
More Than Three Decades Of Public Service
Wanggaard’s public-service career stretches back decades. Before entering the Legislature, he spent approximately 30 years as a Racine police officer. His law-enforcement career ultimately ended after he was seriously injured in a head-on collision involving a federal fugitive, an incident Wanggaard has said broke his neck and damaged his spinal cord. He subsequently served on the Racine County Board before running for the Wisconsin Senate.
Wanggaard was first elected to the 21st Senate District in 2010. He lost the seat to Democrat John Lehman in a 2012 recall election stemming from the political battle over former Republican Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10, but Wanggaard returned two years later and reclaimed the seat in the 2014 election. He went on to win again in 2018 and 2022.
He is currently the longest-serving Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate and is the only Republican to have been elected to four terms representing the 21st District. During his legislative career, Wanggaard authored three constitutional amendments involving crime victims’ rights, bail reform and voter identification, in addition to numerous other measures focused heavily on law enforcement and public safety.
The boundaries of Wanggaard’s district changed substantially under Wisconsin’s new legislative maps. The current 21st District contains portions of Racine and Milwaukee counties. Wanggaard will remain the district’s senator through the end of his current term but will not appear on the November ballot. Republican Jim Croft and Democrat Trevor Jung are competing to succeed him.
When Wanggaard announced his retirement in March, he made clear that leaving public service was not an easy decision.
“In my heart, I desperately want to run again,” Wanggaard said. “I would love to continue to serve as a common-sense conservative voice in the Legislature.”
But the longtime senator said his family ultimately had to come first.
“My head is telling me it’s time to retire,” Wanggaard said. “But my health, and the health of my family will not allow me to put my all into this campaign, or serving the 21st District.”
Five months after Wanggaard publicly cited his daughter’s Stage 4 cancer battle as one of the painful considerations behind that decision, the Wanggaard family is now mourning her loss.
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2 Responses
Xx oo
Van very sorry to hear about your daughter 😢 cancer is very ugly it took my mom and mother in law so sorry for your loss my love goes out to you and yours