Oake Gregory 1973-2022
Oake Christophe (Christopher) Gregory, age 48, Plum City, Wisconsin passed away on Jan. 28, 2022. Oake was born to Jeanne and Thomas Gregory on Dec.18, 1973 in Tonawanda, New York. At 3 years, his family moved to Hudson, WI where he grew up with his younger brother Tim and sister Kate. He was a free spirit and adventurer with a colorful and charismatic personality. Over his lifetime, he lived in many places including La-Crosse, WI; Paris, France; River Falls, WI; Eugene, OR; Garberville, CA; and St. Paul, MN. He purchased a home in Plum City, WI in 2004 where he welcomed many friends with his warm hospitality.
After high school, he attended the College of Agriculture at UWRF. Later, he received his massage thera- pist certificate from Heart wood Institute in northernCalifornia.
Oake was a gifted and gentle person who as a professional caregiver gave compassionate care to clients including developmentally and emotionally disabledchildren and adults, and the terminally ill. His genuine empathy for an individual’s situation was a true strength and warmly received by his clients.
He had an ongoing concern for environmental and social justice issues, “considering volunteerism as one of the best ways to know and create community”. He was a member of Northland Bioneers and served as president of Northland Sustainable Solutions. Over the years, his volunteerism took him from the local soup kitchen to reservations in the Dakotas to orphanages in Mexico, wherever help was needed.
Oake was an extensive and prolific reader with a re markable memory that could recall a very diverse knowledge of almost any topic.
He loved the outdoors, whether looking for rare native plants and propagating them, searching out morels and fiddleheads to cook, or finding six pound agates.
He enjoyed traveling both in Europe and the US connecting with and befriending strangers along the way. He visited many national parks on his motorcycle with sidecar. He had a great love of music and enjoyed singing, drum circles, playing guitar and tapping out songs on his tiny rainbow piano.
Oake will be dearly missed and remain in the hearts of his mother Jeanne (Seaman) Gregory and father Thomas Gregory of River Falls, WI and sister Kate Gregory; his furry companion Walter; aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends whom he loved dearly. He is preceded in death by his brother Timothy; grandparents Joseph and Isabelle (Busche) Seaman and LaRoy and Lazida Gregory of Rhinelander, WI; and his beloved Estrella.
The celebration of Oake’s life will be held on Sunday Aug. 28, 2022, at 1 p.m. at the Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center Pavilion, Hastings, MN. At 2 p.m. there will be a sharing of memories. Family welcomes everyone to join in with their stories. A memorial in his honor will be established at Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center.
