Gary "Belgie" M. Willems

Legend since 1948. Husband since 1978. Daddy since 1981. Boppy since 2018. Gary "Belgie" Willems passed away peacefully following a short illness on July 8, 2025, surrounded by family at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay. For the past 11.5 years, Gary held Aurora close to his heart after their doctors and nurses saved his life following a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Each time he drove past the hospital, he would give it a thumbs up. It was a place of second chances and gratitude, and his family finds comfort in knowing his final chapter was written in the very place that gave them so many extra years and memories with him.

Gary felt blessed to be gifted with this extra time to see his son get married, meet his grandchildren and give his blessing for his daughter's engagement. Retirement looked good on him. In 2023 the entire family was able to vacation in Florida for Thanksgiving, a special memory for all of them.

Gary was born on September 21, 1948 in Sturgeon Bay, the firstborn of four children to Earl and Rita (Baeten) Willems. Their young family resided in Fish Creek in the second-floor apartment of The Rock Tavern, built by Gary's grandfather, Louis Willems, presently Alexander's. A couple years later they made Sister Bay their permanent home.

Gary graduated from Gibraltar High School in 1966. He often recalled how he loved playing football during his high school years. After briefly attending UW-Milwaukee, responsibility called him back to Sister Bay, where he returned to work at the family business, Sister Bay Bowl. He found his rhythm behind the bar and on the bowling lanes, where his work ethic and one-liners would make him a cornerstone, and character, of the community.

Early in life, Gary enjoyed skiing at Nor Ski Ridge where he told his children. He earned the nickname "Ski-O-Matic." They would later learn their dad's motto, "a story is not worth telling unless you embellish it." As a young man, Gary enjoyed years of participating in tavern league softball with friends, and was a fixture of the Door County Bowling League. He especially loved golfing and did so into his 60s. He appreciated a good malt (not a shake!) or a cold beer.

While his legend was born behind the bar, his true pride was his family. On May 10, 1978 he married Sherrie Berg in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They had two children, Rachel and Lukas. To know Belg was to know how much he loved his kids - he once told Sherrie they should have had seven! He was proud of Lukas's time on the Gibraltar Golf Team and traveled to watch the team compete at State multiple times. In recent years, he loved taking Rachel out to breakfast, special father/daughter memories that are cherished now.

Gary treasured his time in Florida for annual springtime family vacations, and he loved traveling to Copper Harbor, Michigan in the fall. Later in life, Belg and Sherrie enjoyed supper clubbing locally with their friends, "The Six-Pack," as well as traveling throughout the state to experience different venues. It was fun for him to be on the other side of the bar, and he loved a good steak dinner. Their grandchildren, Ellison, Reese and Wells were the light of his life, and gave him the nickname Boppy. He loved spending time with his grandkids, both in Door County and traveling to visit them in Illinois.

Beneath a charismatic presence he had a quiet, steady faith that sustained him. The world is a little less colorful without him.

Gary is survived by his wife, Sherrie; two children, Rachel (fiancé, Jonathon Philipp) Willems of Ephraim, Lukas (Emily) Willems of Geneva, IL; grandchildren, Ellison, Reese, and Wells Willems; three siblings, Sharon Daubner of Sister Bay, Steven "Barney" Willems of Sister Bay, Penny (Dave) Anschutz of Baileys Harbor; sisters-in-law, Vickie Gonzales of Egg Harbor, Julie (Tim) Nyberg of Sturgeon Bay; brother-in-law, Jim (Kelly) Berg of Stevens Point; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, September 21, 2025 in Door County, on what would have been his 77th birthday, from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at Stabbur Beer Garden, 10698 N. Bay Shore Dr, Sister Bay. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed toward a memorial bench or the Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department & First Responders.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Door County Medical Center and Aurora BayCare Medical Center for the excellent care they provided, and the Door County community for its outpouring of support.

Casperson Funeral Home in Sister Bay is caring for the family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Gary may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.CaspersonFuneralHome.com.

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