Surnames: Purkapile, Lato, Granquist, Schneiderman, Peck, Trybula, Straszkowski, Okonek, Haag

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI.) June 25, 2008

Purkapile, Raymond W. (31 August 1942 - 19 June 2008)

With Flag

Raymond W. Purkapile, age 65, of Gilman, WI passed away on Thursday, June 19, 2008, at the Veterans Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Gilman, WI with Pastor Steven Haag officiating. Burial was in the Meadowbrook Cemetery in Gilman, WI with military graveside rites performed by both the VFW Post 6186 and the Gilman American Legion Post 359, of which he has been a long and faithful member.

Ray was born in Chicago, IL on August 31, 1942, the son of Donald and Nellie (Lato) Purkapile. The family moved to the Thorp area when he was a young boy and he grew up attending the Thorp area schools. He proudly served in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam conflict from 1964 to 1966. He then returned to the area and was a licensed cheese maker in Longwood, WI. On March 7, 1970, he was united in marriage to Susan Granquist at St. Hedwig’s Chapel in Thorp, WI. After their wedding, they lived in Gilman, WI where Ray was a cheese maker from 1970 to 1986. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Gilman, WI where he served as an Elder for many years amongst serving in many other capacities. He was also commander of the Bellinger-Lublin-Gilman VFW Post 6186 for over 20 years and a member and present Chaplain of Gilman American Legion Post #359. Beside his great love for his family, Ray so enjoyed fishing, football and the outdoors.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sue, of 38 years; mother, Nellie Purkapile of Marshfield, WI, formerly of Thorp, WI; two daughters: Rebecca (Eric) Schneiderman of Neillsville, WI and Amy (Michael) Peck of Eau Claire, WI; three grand-children: Nicholas, Ashley and Ezekiel; brother, Robert (Mary) Purkapile of Marshfield, WI; and three sisters, Theresa (Jerry) Trybula of Willard, WI, Arlene (Roger) Straszkowski of Thorp, WI, and Donna (Keith)( Okonek of Chili, WI. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Purkapile.