Obit: Grambsch, Clyde R. (1917 – 2015)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Grambsch, Fortnum, Anderson, Sossong

Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, WI) 07 Jul 2015

Grambsch, Clyde R. (11 JUL 1917 – 4 JUL 2015)

Clyde R. Grambsch, age 97, of Loyal, went to Heaven on Saturday, July 4, 2015, at Ministry St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 8, 2015. at the Loyal United Methodist Church in Loyal. Reverend Patsy Roe will be officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until noon, with burial in the Loyal City Cemetery prior to the service at 1 p.m. Pallbearers will be his grandsons: David Clintsman Sr, Steven Anderson, Benjamin Grambsch, Joshua Grambsch, Matthew Grambsch, Nathan Grambsch, Christopher Klimpke, and Nicholas Klimpke.

Clyde Raymond Grambsch was born on July 11, 1917, in Marshfield, WI, to Benjamin S. and Lucy M. (Fortnum) Grambsch. He was raised and educated in Loyal, graduating from Loyal High School in 1935. A true entrepreneur, Clyde started a paper route at age 8 and was Loyal's very first paperboy. From then on he was rarely without a job, including a long stint as a soda jerk at Wepfer's Drug Store during high school and college. After completing high school, he attended UW-Madison for one semester before transferring to UW-Stevens Point for 2 1/2 years. On June 1, 1940, he married his high school sweetheart, Eva Elizabeth Essex at the Loyal Methodist Church. Eva went to Heaven on February 17, 1987. Clyde later met Audrey Y. (Fox) Ristow and on October 17, 1987, married her at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Amherst, WI.

Throughout his long and storied life, Clyde never stopped pursuing the American Dream. His can-do attitude led him into the business world where he started, bought, and sold numerous businesses including a bicycle repair shop, an appliance store, the Loyal Funeral Home, a furniture store, and a gas business. All these ventures led him to his true passion and in 1957, he started a camper business. EZ Kamper invented and manufactured one of the first modern pop-up camping trailers in the USA. That led him to his final company, Camper & Recreation, which he started with his son in 1973. C&R carries on Clyde's legacy today replacing canvases on campers around the world. His impact on the RV industry was so profound that in 2001, he was inducted into the National Association of RV Manufacturers Hall of Fame in Elkhart, IN. His original prototype EZ Kamper is on display in their museum for the world to see.

Clyde was a lifelong member of Loyal United Methodist Church, the Loyal Rotary Club, he served as a Cub Master, he was chairman of the Clark Co. Republican Party, and was a respected leader in his community.

He is survived by his second wife, Audrey of Loyal; his children, Carmella (Charles) Anderson of St. Louis Park, MN; Clyde Robert (Susan) Grambsch of Loyal; and Mary (Jim) Sossong of Neillsville; 15 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren; and many relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Eva; his daughter, Connie and son-in-law, Dale Clintsman; three brothers, Lyle Grambsch, Russell Grambsch and Clark Grambsch (in infancy); and one sister Ruby Grambsch.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse Organization at www.samaritanspurse.org

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

Cuddie Funeral Home of Loyal, assisted the family with arrangements.