Larry David Virnig

Larry David Virnig of Medford, died peacefully at home on June 12, 2024 under the care of Hope Hospice.

Larry was born on September 5, 1952 in Medford to the late Ben and Carol (Rembleski) Virnig.  He attended Medford area elementary schools and Medford Senior High until the spring of 1968, when the family sold their dairy farm in the town of Browning and moved to Tomahawk.  He graduated from Tomahawk Senior High in 1970 and from Nicolet College in Rhinelander in 1971, later returning to Medford in 1972.

He married Sandra (Kraus) Matyka in 1992.

Larry worked for several area businesses including Weather Shield, Eggert Company, Merten’s Garage, Melvin Company, and Dura Weld Inc., all in Medford. He was also a supervisor for the Town of Browning.

Larry was an avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast, and a co-founder and retired member of the Free Spirit M.C. of Medford.  He enjoyed riding his motorcycle and made several road trips to Sturgis over the years.  Larry was also a huge fan of the series Survivor, and never missed an episode in the 20+ years that the series has aired.

Larry had a passion for woodworking and followed in his father’s footsteps as a skilled craftsman and carpenter.  Larry built the family home in the town of Browning, and his talent for woodwork was embedded in every corner.  He turned down trees into beautiful furniture, and adorned the property with hand crafted birdhouses, planters, and creative outdoor décor.  He designed walking trails, benches, and wood creations throughout the backyard, and affectionately referred to the ever-evolving project as “the back 40.”  Most recently, he began creating wooden figurines and replicas of construction equipment, carving whimsical, animals and models of bulldozers and excavators with the most intricate detail.  Larry’s creations never used blueprints and were instead inspired ideas and pictures.  He will be remembered for his creativity and artistry, and ability to engineer a solution to anything.

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by a brother, Tom Virnig.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Virnig; two sisters, Teresa (Ken) Kleiber of Milwaukee, and Betty (Les) Krahn of Stratford; one brother, Bob (Sharon) Virnig of Stetsonville; stepdaughter, Kati Matyka of Pearland, TX; stepson, Wade (Tawnie) Matyka of Stetsonville; granddaughter, Olivia Neubauer of Madison; as well as aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 23 at Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery with Fr. Julian Druffner officiating.

A celebration of life for Larry will be from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sunday, August 25 at BS Bar & Catering, W4782 Hwy 64, Medford. Food and refreshments will be served.

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