Obit: Gray, Victor A. #4 (1945 - 2012)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: Gray, Rippentrop, Grabowski

----Source: The Loyal TRG (Loyal, Clark County, WI) 20 June 2012

Gray, Victor (29 SEPT 1945-22 JUNE 2012)

Victor A. “Vic” Gray, 66, Greenwood, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, June 15, 2012, while working with his tractor . A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., on Friday, June 22, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood. Rev. Joseph Follmar will officiate. Visitation will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Thursday, June 21, from 4-8 p.m., and again on Friday, June 22, from 10-11 a.m..

Victor Arnold Gray was born on Sept. 29, 1945, in Bancroft, Iowa, to Alvin A. and Irene (nee Rippentrop) Gray. He started his education in a one-room school house in Titonka, Iowa. He moved to Chili with hs family in 1959 and graduated from Marshfield High School in 1963. Victor was a bright man, excelling at his career in the insurance industry. He founded the Vic Gray Insurance Agency, moved to co-own the Clark County Insurance Agency, then became the CEO of McMillan-Warner Mutual Insurance Company in Marshfield and finally retired as the state marketing director foe Mount Morris Insurance Company of Coloma. His wisdom and insurance insight will be missed, as he was well known and highly respected in his field. Victor married the love of his life, Victoria Mae Grabowski, on July 4, 1970, at Immanuel United Methodist Church, Chili. They moved to Greenwood in December in December 1970 and raised their family. Victor was a devoted husband and a proud father and grandfather. He loved sports and pitched pumpkin ball, slow and fast pitch softball. Threw horseshoes, bowled, and was known as “Gunner Gray” in basketball. Aside from sports, he reveled in hunting, fishing, ”putzing in his shop,” and politics—the more lively the debate the better. He enjoyed his hobby farm, at one time raising pigs and chickens, but mostly, he enjoyed the produce from the big garden he and Vicki tended. Vic was currently serving on the Clark County Board of Supervisors. He was also a charter member of the Greenwood Lions, a former member of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and the Owen Masonic Lodge, and a chairman for the Greenwood Centennial.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Victoria; their three children. Melody Gray, Bloomer, Matthew (Lynette) Gray, Chili, and Amber Gray, Madison; two grandchildren, Autumn and Mason; two sisters, Virginia (Norman) Kommer, Marshfield, and Roberta (Dale) Tesky, Mosinee; three brothers, Douglas (Jeanne) Gray, Marshfield, Randall (Janell) Gray, Watertown, and Dean (Dan Wilch) Gray, New York, N.Y.; three brothers-in-law, Henry Kopacz, Wisconsin Rapids, John (Laurette) Grabowski, Auburn, Wash., and Anthony (Jan) Grawboski, Rhinelander; four sisyers-in-law, Josephine (John) Rogalski, Crystal Falls, Mich., Theresa (Robert) Rita, Elgin, Ill., Agnes (Charles) Langeberg, Wisconsin Rapids, and Marie Webster, Gilman; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister-in-law, Frances Kopacz.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com. 

Cuddie Funeral Home, Greenwood, is assisting the family with arrangements.