May 20, 1956 – May 24, 2026
It’s hard to believe that Greg has left us just four days after turning 70, following a recent cancer diagnosis. As you can imagine, he was really upset that all the plans he had were slipping away. We had just wrapped up all the work at camp and were excited to sit on the new deck with a drink in hand, watching the lake. Camp was his happy place; he looked forward to it all winter long and made plenty of plans for his return. I can picture him driving along the road in his side by side, either getting gravel or visiting Gerry, Patty, or Stella to catch up on neighborhood happenings. His clothes always ended up dirty because of his love for gravel-there was always room for more dirt! How could MNR close the pit?
I’m left with 40 years of wonderful memories along with Eva, our daughter Meghan Otto, our son Hoyt Nowak (Maryjo), and grandchildren Raija Laplante, Claire and Odin Nowak. His brother Jeff (Paula) and sister Maureen Daley (Trevor) have been here to support us during this tough time. Also remembering Greg are his brother Robert (Karen) and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. This loss is particularly hard for Charlie Ihantola, Quintin Golka, Brenda Kotthaus who misses his hugs deeply, and Barbara Schmidt who holds him close in her heart.
Greg could build or fix anything except when it came to quitting smoking or dealing with lung cancer later on. His message is clear: seek help if you need it but do your best to stop smoking. It’s too late for him but hopefully not for you.
We’ll be holding a Celebration of Life soon; details will follow. In the meantime, share your stories about what he meant to you, look through photo albums filled with memories of good times together, and hug someone you care about. As we learned recently, life can change instantly leaving you reaching out for someone who’s no longer there.
A huge Thank You goes out to the Oncology team and staff at TBRHSC for their kind care and support they provided Greg and our family.
Providing meals for kids was important to him so donations to Dew Drop Inn, Boys and Girls Club Meal Program or any food assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Condolences may be made through www. nwfainc. com
