Gary Allen Foris

Gary Allen Foris, 68, a longtime resident of N5769 S. Main Street, Fond du Lac, died Wednesday, December 2, 2009, at his residence after a short battle with cancer. He was born June 8, 1941, in Washburn, WI, the son of Frank and Esther Frechette Foris. Gary was raised in Ashland, WI where he graduated from High School in 1959. He was a veteran of the US Army serving from November of 1965 to November of 1967, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. He married Mary Jo Strong on October 31, 1967. Gary was a sailor on the Great Lakes, but decided that wasn't the life for a married man with children, so in 1969, he moved the family to Fond du Lac to work at Mercury Marine. He left Mercury in 1979 to fulfill his dream of becoming a fur buyer and professional trapper. After a downturn in the fur business in the late 80"s, he began to work at Precision Metals in Campbellsport for 11 years while continuing to trap and buy furs on a part-time basis. Gary was a longtime member of the NRA, Wisconsin Trappers Association, and the National Trappers Association. His hobbies included hunting, trapping, collecting guns, gardening and bird and duck watching, especially in Horicon Marsh. Surviving is his wife, Mary Jo, a daughter, Laurie (Steven) Rief of Sheboygan, two sons, Mark (Connie) Foris, and Matt Foris, both of Fond du Lac, five grandchildren, Michael Allen Novak, Serena Rief, Nicholas Allen, Hunter Allen, and Trevor Allen Foris. He is further survived by three brothers, Howard (Kris) Foris and Randy (Special Friend Barb) Foris, both of Ashland, WI, and Anthony Foris of Montello, WI, and two sisters, Julie (Ken) Arbuckle of Ashland, WI, and Sandy Foris of Seattle, WA. His parents and one sister, Kaye Shipp, preceded him in death.



Visitation for Gary A. Foris will be on Sunday, December 6, 2009, from 4 to 8 pm at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM on Monday, December 7th at the funeral home. The Rev. Howard Vande Guchte will officiate and burial will be in Estabrooks Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be directed to Agnesian Hospice Hope or Grace Reformed Church, 163 18th Street, Fond du Lac. Additional information and guest book may be found at www.ueckerwitt.com