Gary Roy Wallem, 69, of Elkhorn, died unexpectedly Aug. 6, 2019, at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 4, 1949, in Chicago, the son of Ruth (Hovestol) and the late Roy O. Wallem. Gary attended Trinity College of Deerfield, Ill. He was united in marriage to Susan Carol Flitcroft on Oct. 2, 2004, in Las Vegas.
Gary had a passion for developing real estate, taking old, run down buildings and bringing them back to life with “gusto,” such as Uncle Hunk’s Junk building, The Elkhorn Garage, The Elkhorn Train Depot built in 1856, and The Band Shell at Sunset Park, just to name a few.
He was always ready to volunteer for the betterment of the community; he played Santa for more than 51 years, served as Town Chairman for the Town of Sugar Creek, served as a board member and was member of the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce, he designed, built and donated the sign at the entrance of the Walworth County Fair, he was an avid car collector and he loved to collect as he would say “Just Cool Junk.” Gary also obtained an online license of divinity and performed weddings as the Rev. Gary Roy.
He was proud of his Norwegian heritage and was a loving and faithful husband, son, brother and uncle who will be greatly missed by his wife, Susan; his mother, Ruth Wallem of Gurnee, Ill.; his brother, Scott (Pam) Wallem of Salem; and his sister, Debbie (Bruce) Lindstrom of Gurnee, Ill.; his nephew, Jordan Wallem of Salem; and his niece, Crystal (Andrew) Magiera of Bristol; and by a host of other relatives and friends and his two faithful dogs, Barney Fife and Thelma Lou.
Gary was preceded in death by his father, Roy, and two cousins, David Hovestol and Jim Hanson.
The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday at Calvary Community Church, Hwy. 50 and Harris Rd., Lake Geneva. Burial will be at Spring Grove Cemetery in Delavan. Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m., Thursday at Uncle Hunk’s Junk Building, 203 E. Walworth St., Elkhorn and at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until time of services.
Memorials may be made in Gary’s name to: Gideon’s International. P.O. Box 140800 Nashville, Tenn., 37214, the Elkhorn Food Pantry 14 W. Geneva St., Elkhorn, WI 53121, or Briggs Road Evangelical Free Church 4654 Briggs Rd., Elkhorn, WI 53121 or Sts. Simeon and Anna Anglican Church 189 Plafield Ct., Walworth, WI 53184.
Arrangements completed by Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes and Crematory of Elkhorn.
