May 20, 1956 – May 24, 2026
It’s hard to believe, but I have to tell Greg’s family and friends that he passed away just four days after his 70th birthday following a sudden cancer diagnosis. He was really upset that all the things he was excited about now wouldn’t happen. We’d finally wrapped up all the tough work at camp and were looking forward to sitting on the new deck, watching the lake dry up with a cold drink in hand. Camp was where he felt happiest – he looked forward to it all winter long, made plans for it, talked about going back. I can picture him driving around on his side by side, grabbing gravel or just stopping by to see Gerry. Patty or Stella would get visits from him too – always checking what’s happening nearby. His clothes were almost always dirty thanks to his love of gravel; there was never a spot left clean. And boy, did he hate when the MNR shut down the pit!
He leaves behind 40 years filled with great memories for me, Eva; daughter Meghan Otto; son Hoyt Nowak (Maryjo); grandchildren Raija Laplante, Claire and Odin Nowak. His brother Jeff (Paula) and sister Maureen Daley (Trevor) have been here supporting us through this tough time. Also holding Greg close are his brother Robert (Karen) along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. This is especially hard for Charlie Ihantola, Quintin Golka and Brenda Kotthaus who miss his hugs and favorite person; Barbara Schmidt keeps him in her heart.
Greg could build or fix pretty much anything-except for kicking his cigarette habit or fighting lung cancer afterward. His advice? Get help if you need it but really try to quit smoking. It’s too late for him but hopefully not for you.
We’ll be having a Celebration of Life sometime soon – date still coming – but until then share stories about what Greg meant to you, dig out some photo albums and remember those fun times together. Hug someone close because life can flip in an instant and you might find yourself 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 and thoughtful care they gave Greg and all of us.
Greg cared deeply about feeding kids so donations in his memory to Dew Drop Inn, Boys and Girls Club Meal Program or any food assistance group would mean a lot.
You can leave condolences at www. nwfainc. com
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