Gary Arnold Rohloff, 78, of Mosinee, WI entered into eternal rest after a long courageous battle with multiple cancers on September 5, 2020.
Gary was born on October 17, 1941 to Arnold and Lois (Cartwright) Rohloff in New London, WI. He was baptized in New London and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waupaca, WI. He graduated from Waupaca High School in 1961. Gary married Shirley Cox in 1965. They divorced in 1991. On February 24, 1997 he married Sandra Taft in Branson, MO. Gary started his career as a shoe salesman at Step-In Shoe Store in Waupaca and worked there five years. Then for over 20 years he was manager of Johnson Hills Shoe Department in Wisconsin Rapids. In 1991 he started a stone business named Wisconsin Pride Stone in Nekoosa, WI and built it into a successful business. When he retired, he created a business named Rollys Custom Rods in which he built specialized fishing poles. Gary traveled extensively throughout the states selling his poles at Sport and Trade Shows up until the last few months. Also in his retirement, he collected casino chips from every state and sold them online. Gary had a great sense of humor and was known as the class goof-off, a real prankster. Hence his family nickname of “Goofy”. In 1979 he started a DU Chapter in Waupaca and served as officer and ticket chairman for many years. He also helped start DU Chapters in neighboring towns. Gary was a member of the Grand Rapids Lions Club for many years. He was an avid hunter and made many trips to other states and took numerous yearly Canadian fishing trips with family, friends and his brothers. He taught all of his seven daughters how to fish and some about hunting. Gary was a man of many talents. He carved wood ducks, framed and matted DU prints and gutted and rebuilt his home on Lake DuBay. Last and foremost, Gary who almost flunked a semester of Phy Ed because he wouldn’t touch/hold a girl to learn how to waltz, went on to become an accomplished dancer of line-dancing, waltz, polka, fox trot and jitter-bug dances. His favorite saying was, “You’re goofier than a box of rocks.”
Gary is survived by his wife Sandy; his daughters: Glorie Rohloff of Nekoosa, WI, Amy Cain of Cedar Rapids, IA and Lisa Cahak (Jeff Flannigain) of Appleton, WI; grandchildren: Ashley (Kevin) Noska, Michelle (Clay) Fitzpatrick, Tanya Kent, Jacob Kent, and Jennifer Loftis; and five great-grandchildren; step-daughters: Kelly Taft of Wauwatosa, WI; Michelle (Dwayne) Setzer of Elm Gove, WI; Cari Baumann of Appleton, WI and Tracy (Louie) Myers of Mankato, MN; step-grandchildren: Ryan (Gennafer) Schuster, Katelyn (Jordan) Burnett, Emily Setzer, Jordan (Emily) Baumann, Nick Baumann and seven great-grandchildren.
He is further survived by his sisters: Marlene (Ron) Hopfensperger of Appleton, WI; Sandra Penney of Waupaca, WI; Ginny (Peter) Johnson of Ogdensburg, WI and Ann (Bob) Dufield of New London, WI; bothers, Rick Rohloff of Appleton, WI and Bill Miller (Christine Snowden) of Iola, WI. Also, survived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandson Nicolas Cain, sister Barbara Rosin, brother John E Miller and brothers-in-law, Bobby Penney and Gilbert Rosin.
A private memorial service will be held for immediate family at Beste Funeral Home in Mosinee, WI on September 10, 2020.