Gary "Fife" Relien

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Gary "Fife" Relien, a loving father, grandfather, and a great friend to all who knew him. Gary was born October 29, 1956 in Appleton, WI to Arland Relien and Marilyn Schroeder. He retired from Kimberly Clark after over 40 years of service.

Gary loved spending time with his many dachshunds over the years, yelling "Babies! Babies! Babies!" to round them up for rides on the four-wheeler. He enjoyed spending time with his brothers and friends hunting on his land just over the highway from his house. Gary loved to hunt deer, wild game, pheasants, and fishing for white bass. Many years were spent traveling to hunt and fish in South Dakota.

Gary spent every Sunday going to church at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenville, WI. He would often tell his family and friends it was "time to repent!." He was known for his routine "press conferences" with friends. Gary was a big sports guy; a big fan of the Milwaukee Brewers and the Green Bay Packers. Aerosmith was his favorite band, having been a part of their fan club since 1970! He was a friend to everyone that knew him, and will be missed by many. All of the neighborhood kids knew him as "Grandpa Fife, the guy with a fridge full of popsicles".

Gary is survived by his two daughters, Jill (Jeff) Hill, and Alyssa (Tommy) Pierce; his grandchildren, Emma, Annika, Lola, and Astrid; his father, Arland Relien; and his siblings, Randy (Therese) Relien, Rick (Mary) Relien, Janet (Steve) Simonis, and Steve (Michelle) Relien. He is further survived by numerous other family and friends; and lastly, his dogs Dakota, Big John, and Big John's brother.

Gary is preceded in death by his mother, Marilyn Schroeder; his step-mother, Darlene Relien; his great-niece, Alayna Relien; and many other fur babies.

His family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Jeff Bauer for his time in helping take care of Gary when needed.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenville, with Pastor Tim Dolan officiating. The visitation will take place from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. A Celebration of Life will also be held at a later date to wish Fife a farewell in style.