Gary James

Chriske

Gary J. Chriske, 79, Sobieski, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 surrounded by his loving family. He was born May 29, 1947, in Green Bay to James and Audrey (Berken) Chriske.

Gary attended St. Jude Grade School and graduated from Premontre High School. He began his career at Wisconsin Bell and over 30 years later he retired from AT&T. He was always a dedicated and hard worker. Gary married Linda Wauters at St. Patrick Church on May 6, 1967. He enjoyed deer hunting and especially enjoyed turkey hunting. Gary had a fantastic sense of humor and had the best one-liners. He loved meeting with his friends at The Garage and was the life of the party, making his friends smile and laugh. Gary enjoyed sports and loved The Brewers - he would never miss a game especially their World Series win! He was a fair-weather fan when it came to the Packers but his favorite team for any sport was whichever team his grandchildren played on at the time. He would gratefully be at any of his grandchildren's events. Gary adored his grandchildren and never missed a chance to watch them play. He loved his family and their smiles brightened his life. Gary was the rock of the family. He always put his family first and was a devoted husband, loving father, and adoring grandfather. His absence leaves an emptiness that can never be filled.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Lisa (Mike) Vander Meulen, Melissa (Kevin) DeBauche, Brad (Becky) Chriske, Jessica Chriske; grandchildren, Josh (Baili) Vander Meulen, Kayla Vander Meulen, Justin Vander Meulen, Kyle (Jasey) DeBauche, Jarek DeBauche, Brady Chriske, Beau Chriske, Blaire Chriske; great-granddaughters, Kyah and Jozie DeBauche; siblings, Diane (Chris) Nuthals, Patty (Tom) Gibson, Bobby Chriske; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many close friends.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Audrey Chriske; siblings, Karen Chriske, Kenny (Sue) Chriske.

Friends and family will gather at SS. Edward & Isidore Parish, 3667 Flintville Rd., from 9:30am to 11:00am on Tuesday, November 17; Mass to follow at 11:00am. Burial will be in SS. Edward & Isidore Cemetery. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com.

Gary's family extends their deepest gratitude to each and every member of the staff of Green Bay Oncology for all their kindness and care and special thank you to Unity Hospice for their compassionate care.