Gary Wayne Green

Gary Wayne Green, age 61, left this earth at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2016, in the arms of his bride Linda, and surrounded by his family, at home, looking down the driveway at his yard, birds, turkeys and approaching spring, which was exactly where he wanted to be. He lived his life with passion and died in the same way, accepting his diagnosis with grace and bravery. Having never been a smoker, the diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer which had spread to his brain, adrenal glands, bones, belly and intestines was a bit hard to take, but take it he did, ready to do whatever the staff at Mayo Clinic suggested. Five weeks later, the cancer took him, but it did NOT win. In fact, it died right along with him. His mission in life was to plant as many seeds of kindness as he could. We will carry on for him and we invite you to join us. Gary wore many hats. He was an Industrial Hygienist in Madison for 5 years, continuing that role for several more years running his own business. He joined the Fire service in 1986 rising to the rank of Captain over the years. During those years in the Racine Fire Department he was on the Dive Rescue Team, the Confined Space Rescue Team, the Trench/collapse rescue team, the high angle rescue team, rode the rescue squad as an EMT, became coordinator for the Racine Regional Haz-Mat team, and spent many years doing his favorite job – being Fire Fighter Gary. As Fire Fighter Gary, he visited every elementary school, daycare and preschool in Racine, visiting thousands of children each year. He was overjoyed when the kids recognized him each year. Finally, he was a Fire Investigator. He retired in 2009, at which time he came home to our new life in North Bend, Wisconsin. His many talents included taxidermy, wine making, wood carving, painting, gardening and pulling magic marbles from his grandchildren’s ears. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, loved introducing children to his love of the outdoors and teaching them to care for the environment. He loved the land, his labs, beekeeping, canoeing the Boundary Waters along with many waters in “God’s Country”, traveling to Colorado and most especially, his family. Gary was a member of First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, the Wine Sitters Fermented Friends, an active volunteer in Lions and NASA (creating outdoor experiences for the elderly or disabled), in addition to helping elderly friends. He taught Hunter Safety in Racine for many, many years and enjoyed being active in the National Wild Turkey Federation for many years. However, his proudest accomplishment was raising four children to be “responsible, contributing members of society.” He loved to tell folks that he had a physician, an architect, and 2 teachers as children, not to mention an equally talented, endlessly kind and naturally beautiful bride. He loved them all with a passion and in return, they provided him with love beyond measure. He leaves his family to carry on his mission, his bride of 40 years, Linda; children Kristen Dall-Winther (Eric), Caitlin Clausen (Sam), Carolyn (Erek) and Kevin (Laura); Grandchildren Hunter, Michael, Ryan, Jonah, Isabel, Natalie, Noah and Aurora; Siblings Betsy Barber, Candy and Victor Shepard, Chester Anderson and Becky Masotti; Mother Genevieve Midge Anderson; Aunt Belva Green; nieces and nephews, special cousins Liz and Dennis Homolka and life long friends Linda and Kevin Rattle, in addition to many other relatives, friends and his brothers and sisters from the fire service. In accordance with Gary’s wishes, two memorial services will be held so that people will not have to travel too far to attend. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, March 30th at 11:00 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, 420 Main Street, in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Visitation with the family will be from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at the church. Services in Racine, Wisconsin will be held on Saturday, April 2nd at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Communion Lutheran Church, 2000 W. Sixth Street. Visitation with the family will be from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at the church. In lieu of flowers, any memorials offered will be used to purchase half mask respirators to help protect fire fighters from harmful carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents while investigating fires. The family wishes to send special thanks to the staff at Mayo Clinic in La Crosse for their exceptional care of not only Gary, but the rest of the family as well.

Tributes

Gary Wayne Green

March 26, 2016