Herbert Rycroft Obituary

Rycroft, Herbert E.

Shawano, WI: Herbert E. Rycroft, age 57, of Shawano, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 10, 2012, at his home. Born on April 14, 1954 in Buffalo, NY, he was the son of the late Thomas and Eleanor (Myers) Rycroft. Herb attended Cornell University and in 1979 earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. On November 2, 1992 he was united in marriage to Marisa Biasillo in Jacksonville, NY. Herb worked for Eastern AI CO-OP in Ithaca, NY when it was merged with other CO-OP's to form CRI. Herb worked for CRI and its predecessors for over 30 years. In 2000, the couple moved to the Shawano, WI area where Herb assumed the position of Vice-President of Support Services at Cooperative Resources International (CRI). He was dedicated to the Shawano Community. His involvement included treasurer of the Shawano Area Community Foundation, chairman of the Shawano District of Junior Achievement, board member of the Shawano County Arts Council, and board member of the Shawano Optimist Club. He was a vital part of the Red River Riders and was active with the Boy Scout Troop 32. Herb was also engaged in various other community activities, school functions, planning committees and is a past president of the Shawano County Chamber of Commerce and the Shawano Optimist Club. An active member of the Shawano United Methodist Church, he served on the finance committee and the church growth management team. When not giving his time to the community, Herb loved spending time with his family. He was a detail man and was considered the family memory expert. Herb enjoyed traveling, gardening, bicycling, hiking, camping and cross-country skiing. Herb is survived by his wife, Marisa; his children, Kelly (Jason) Brown and Kristin (Ben) Ink, both of Ithaca, NY, and Adam, at home; grandchildren, Mackenzie, Spencer, Skylar and Kaelyn; brother, Kenneth (Dorothy) Rycroft of Elkins, WV; sisters, Elaine (Duane) Cheney of Spencer, IN and Joanne (Glenn) Bateman of The Villages, FL; and a sister-in-law, Carol (Jack) Knapp of Pike, NY. He is further survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Herb was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ronald. Visitation will be held from 4 until 8 p.m. on Monday, February 13, at Swedberg Funeral Home in Shawano and will continue on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until the time of services at the Shawano United Methodist church. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the church with Rev. Domnik Israel officiating. Private burial will take place in New York. The Swedberg Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society. www.swedbergfuneralhome.com