(JUNEAU) Daniel W. Klossner, a longtime Dodge County Circuit Court judge and public servant, died Friday, February 6, 2026, at his home in Juneau. He was 77.
Klossner served as Dodge County Branch 1 Circuit Court Judge from 1984 until his retirement in 2008. During his legal career, he also served as Juneau City Attorney, Dodge County assistant family court commissioner, and Dodge County criminal court commissioner.
Born February 13, 1948, in Beaver Dam, Klossner attended Juneau Public Schools and graduated in 1966. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 and served as a combat medic with the 25th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. He was wounded in action in April 1970.
After military service, Klossner earned degrees from Madison Area Technical College, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of North Dakota School of Law. He later entered private practice in Juneau with Judge Joseph Sciascia.
Klossner was active in numerous civic, legal, and veterans organizations, including the State Bar of Wisconsin, Dodge County Bar Association, American Legion, VFW, Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, and the Juneau Lions Club. He also served on the Beaver Dam Hospital Board and Church Health Services Board.
In the community, Klossner was widely known for portraying Santa Claus in Juneau for 34 years. In 2024, he was inducted into the Dodgeland High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
