Gordon Rye

Gordon Rye January 28, 1944 - February 3, 2010

Gordon E. Rye Sr. age 66 of rural Janesville, died on February 3, 2010 at his home, surrounded by his family. There will be a Time of Remembrance held on Saturday, February 6th at 5:00 p.m. at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home in Janesville. The Rye Family will greet friends on Saturday, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to MDA/ALS Association. Gordon Eugene was born on January 28, 1944 in Mankato, Minnesota to Gordon and Emma (Kulack) Rye. He resided with his family in Lake Crystal, MN until he was 15 when his mother remarried and they moved to Elysian, MN. Gordy enlisted in the Navy when he was 18. He completed his basic training in California and from there was on the USS Kittyhawk. He left the Navy at age 21 and took brief jobs driving truck and working the oil rigs off the Michigan and Louisiana coast. Shortly after, he worked for Ames Construction in Burnsville, MN. After a brief move to Deer River in northern Minnesota, Gordy moved back to family property in Janesville and worked for Fred Frederickson driving lowboy truck and running heavy equipment. Gordy retired from Frederickson in 1990. He purchased a sawmill, and started his own business at his residence doing custom sawing, logging and woodworking. Gordy was an avid outdoorsman and conservationist. Hunting was a passion and he enjoyed shooting. In the last 10 years Gordy and his wife Dolly have traveled the United States extensively, bringing along the camper and motorcycles. Gordy was a member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He is survived by his wife Dolly (Nielsen) Rye of rural Janesville; his daughter Michelle (Jerry) Beveridge of Janesville, MN, by his son Gordon JR. Rye (Denise Baer) of Janesville, MN; and his six grandchildren, Tranace, Terisa, Tori, Trayldon, Teigue and Brooklyn; by his two step children Kelly (Mike) Lynch of Fountain City, WI, and Todd (Tami) Weldon of Brainerd, MN; by his brothers Gary (Terri) Rye and Harold (Sandra) Rye, all of Lake City, MN and his sister Carrol Banta of Janesville. He was preceded in death by his parents.