How Dye Died

In the arena of unfinished business, the following new information reached me overnight. It answers a question many of us have had: How exactly did Greg Dye die?

Greg Duncan Dye was a familiar and popular personality among the students in the graduating class of 1965. Class President in our sophomore year, Greg was a triple sports athlete (football, wrestling, track) for all four years, and on the Monitor staff as a senior.

It was with some shock that folks researching what happened to our classmates learned that Greg died at a young age.

As I mentioned earlier, Gregory Duncan Dye, 22, of 1975 S. East Gate Drive, Decatur, was killed in a hunting accident, over four years after graduating from MacArthur, on Sunday morning, November 23, 1969, near Marinette, Wisconsin. At the time, he was a senior at the University of Illinois.

Here are further details.

Near Wausaukee, Wisconsin, Greg was hunting with his brother, the Rev. Bradley F. Dye, when Greg wounded a deer. When Greg started tracking the wounded animal, Greg tripped and discharged his rifle.

The Decatur Review, reporting on the incident on November 24, 1969, noted: "The bullet struck him beneath the jaw. After emergency treatment, he was taken to the hospital, where he was dead on arrival."

The death was ruled "accidental" by the Marinette County coroner in Wisconsin.

Greg Dye was born in St. Louis, a son of Wilber F. and Eileen Hanks Dye. He was survived by his parents, brother Bradley at home and a sister Pamela of Miami, Florida. During the funeral, the newspapers' mentioned that Wolfe Furniture in Decatur was closed in memory of Greg, as his father owned Wolfe Furniture.



It may have been over 40 years ago, but there is something about hearing it for the first time, for me, that was as if I'd just watched a news bulletin on CNN. All of these deaths are difficult to heard about, but I want, no, I need to know.

I am saddened by the thought of the bright light who was Greg leaving the scene so early.



Appreciation to Judy Sumner, Mac '66, for the news items.