green bay east class of 1977 obituaries

Staff Obits

Gene Bray 1/28/06

Football: East's Bray remembered for his 'fire'

By Scott Venci svenci@greenbaypressgazette.com

Gene Bray, who coached Green Bay East High School to six Fox River Valley Conference football

championships from 1967 to 1982, died Saturday. He was 82. Bray, who was inducted into the Wisconsin

High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989, went 87-48-3 in 16 seasons with the Red

Devils. "He was a very fine individual," said Bruce Steinfeldt, an offensive and defensive lineman for East in

1968 and 1969. "Coach Bray would get on your case real good when you screwed up, but then he would pat

you on the back. He was a very good coach, and a guy you enjoyed playing for." East won the FRVC title

outright in 1972, 1976 and 1978 and shared it in 1969, 1971 and 1979. Bray was named FRVC coach of the

year in 1971, 1972, 1978 and 1979.

A native of Valders, where his father coached for 37 years, Bray began his football coaching career at

Wabeno, compiling a 15-6 record over three seasons from 1949 to 1951. He was the basketball coach and an

assistant football coach at Merrill for three years before being hired as an assistant football coach at East in

1955. He served in that capacity for 12 years before succeeding Al Mancheski as coach in 1967. "We got

along real well together," said former Green Bay West coach Earl "Mike" Miller, who coached the Wildcats

from 1971 to 1986 and remained friends with Bray in retirement. "He was a competitor in football. He had

fire." There was nothing Bray and Miller loved more than the annual East-West game. "Gene and I try to keep

alive a little bit of the old, even though it's hard sometimes," Miller said before the 1977 game. Bray's son,

Neil, who played for his father in 1966 and 1967, recalled from his home in Redding , Calif. , last September

that "my fondest memories of the (East-West) game were … the ones experienced as a sideline rat with my

dad." After retiring from East with a career record of 102-54-3, Bray was an assistant football coach at St.

Norbert College from 1984 to 1993.

Roger J. "Bucky" Dernbach 4/17/06

(source: Green Bay Press Gazette)

At peace in the arms of Jesus, Roger Dernbach entered Eternal Life on Monday, April 17, 2006, after a

courageous battle following complications from aneurysm surgery last June. His zest for life is one many will

cherish as he made a memorable impact on countless people's lives.

Mr. Dernbach was born on Oct. 4, 1937, to the late Sylvester and Helen (Ketelhohn) Dernbach and was a

lifelong resident of Allouez. In 1963, he married his former wife, Sharon (Felix) Pullen. They had one beloved

son, Eric. Roger's attachment to his community led him in the direction of teaching and guidance counseling. He

attended and later worked at Allouez School, Washington Junior High and East High School . He left Green Bay

to attend the university at La Crosse and upon his return he taught physical education and general sciences at

Allouez and earth sciences at Washington Junior High. Roger earned his master's degree in educational

psychology and guidance at the University of Northern Colorado and possesses a bachelor's degree in science

and political science. He began his career as a guidance counselor at Green Bay East in 1967. Mr. Dernbach

had a burning desire to build the personal self confidence of numerous students and had an especially strong

bond with those who were considered to be the "underdog."

He played high school and college tennis where he accomplished success and recognition. Roger served as

part-time recreation director in Allouez for many years and, in 1972, he was elected to the County Board . His

civic interest led to a 10-year position as 25th District supervisor on the Brown County Board, including three

years as chairman.

Roger looked forward to his annual trips to Vegas and had many hobbies which included playing cards, building

cedar fences, hunting and fishing and a passion for "Captaining" the PEQUOD IV in search of salmon and trout

on Lake Michigan with family and friends.

He is survived by his loving and devoted son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Kim; his stepgrandchildren, Adam and

wife, Bobbi Jo, Renata "Sweet Pea" Falon; three stepgreat-grandchildren, Brandon, Brady and Austin; sister,

Marilyn "Mitzie" (Al) Lenss, Minneapolis, Minn.; brothers, Sylvester "Cy" (Gloria) Dernbach, Sturgeon Bay;

Robert (Suzanne) Dernbach, Appleton; brother-in-law, George Greenwood, Kaukauna; sister-in-law, Barbara

Dernbach, East China, Mich.; special cousin, Cecilia O'Connell; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth J. Dernbach, and sister, Kathleen Greenwood

Bruce MacNeil 11/17/2008

(source: Green Bay Press Gazette)

Bruce MacNeil, 68, a math teacher for 30 years at Green Bay East High School and

participant in the first 31 Bellin Run events, died Nov. 17, 2008.