Ray D. Gripentrog

Dear Trudy and Family,
My thoughts and prayers have been with you since I heard of your loss of Ray at the McDonell Alumni Banquet last weekend. He will be missed but never forgotten by those whose lives he touched. Even after all these years (I graduated in 1961) I recall the positive roll model he was for all students. As I read his obituary, I realized he gave much to his family and more to his church, community and sports in Wisconsin. You can take pride in the life he lead and...

Dear Gripentrog Family,

The Cherrier family was all sorry to hear about Mr Gripentrog. We feel your sadness of your loss and yet know what joy you can feel as you celebrate the life of such a great man. Thank you Mr Gripentrog, for moving your family across the street from ours on Prairie street, Chippewa Falls. Thank you, Coach, for giving that real football to this tomboy kid who was in awe of you----Coach Gripentrog. You were always the Coach.
Our deepest sympathy to you, Mrs...

Dear Ann,
Your dad was a sweetheart and put up with our shenanigans with good humor. I know my brother (QB at Dominican) greatly enjoyed being coached by such a positive and encouraging man.

My Prayers are with the entire Gripentrog family. Coach Gripentrog was one of a kind. He taught me many things not only about football but also about life itself. Thanks "Coach" for all you did for everybody, you will be missed.

As the days and weeks pass, and as you return to life’s routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends.

I didn't know Grip for very long, but concidered him a friend. He took an interest in me and got me into Senior VB. He was a tireless worker and always had a smile on his face. He was liked and respected by all who knew him.

Coach Grip will be greatly missed. I graduated from Nicolet in 1985 and I was lucky to have played for him on both his baseball and football teams. Some of my best memories and closest friendships were formed on those fields. We speak often of the good old days at Nicolet, and Coach Grip was a big part of them. He taught us a lot about winning, losing and many of life's lessons. I thank Coach Grip for all that he did for me and my friends. We are all better because of him.

Ray Gripentrog was our varsity baseball coach at Dominican in 1972, and in retrospect, was nice enough to let me hang on as the 17th player on the team, even though there were just 16 1/2 varsity uniforms to go around, and I was your classic no-hit, no-field player. (I got the varsity top and the JV pants, but hey, it was still the varsity!)

Notwithstanding my presence on the ballclub, the Knights were pretty good that season; one of our pitchers, Dan McGurk, threw a no-hitter, we had...

Dear Gripentrog Family,

You have been in my thoughts and prayers ever since I learned of the passing of "Coach Grip."

My first memory of him was when I a St. Monica second-grader (and a classmate of John). Your family had just moved from Chippewa Falls so that Ray could become Dominican's coach. I remember the Coach then as dynamic, professional, and loaded with authority.

The last time I spoke with Ray was after a Lenten "Stations of the Cross" service this spring...