Gregory Beirne

SPRING GREEN/MADISON- Gregory James Beirne age 85 passed away in the early morning hours of August 22, 2018 with his wife and family at his side.

Greg was born June 5, 1933 in Watertown, South Dakota. His family moved to Omaha, Nebraska and then to Chicago, Illinois where he spent his school years. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Loyola University and then continued his studies there at the Medical School graduating with his M.D. in 1958. He spent his intern year at the University of Chicago where he met his future wife Mary Elaine Kelly. They married May 21, 1960, spent one year at Fort Sheridan for his Army service and moved to Madison, Wisconsin where he finished his residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Nephrology.

He worked at the William S. Middleton Veterans Administration hospital in Madison. He was grateful that he had been a student of the venerable Dr. Middleton. Dr. Beirne taught generations of medical students the finer points of physical diagnosis, researched hypertension and managed the dialysis unit at the hospital. He had a deep appreciation for his long-term patients. He also worked for the University of Wisconsin's Nephrology Department.

He developed a passion for the outdoors in his early years in Madison. He would say it was the South Dakota country boy in him. He loved fishing and hunting and was a serious conservationist. He spent innumerable evenings on the waters of Lake Mendota. When asked "How was the fishing?" he would reply, "The fishing is always great; it is the catching that varies."
He also loved sports, playing hockey, basketball and tennis. He canoed beyond the Boundary Waters, was a jogger before there were running shoes and competed in the Birkebeiner 5 times.

He and Mary raised six children. He shared his passions with them, coaching their sports teams, taking them one at a time to Badger sporting events, and introducing them to Shakespeare. He attended Football, Hockey and Basketball games, but Basketball was his favorite. Attending basketball games at Platteville and Wisconsin provided great winter entertainment, and he could be heard telling the referees what he thought of their "mistakes". He was able to attend the NCAA Final Four in 2014.

In retirement, he and Mary moved to Arena, Wisconsin, where he realized his dream of building and living in a log home in the country. He planted pine, oak and walnut trees and developed a talent for growing Shiitake mushrooms. He shared his knowledge by hosting "Mushroom Workshops", where he helped students with their own logs.

Illness slowed him down the last two years and he was lovingly cared for by Mary and his son Phil. He passed away after a brief stay at Greenway Manor in Spring Green where he received most compassionate care.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Elaine Beirne; his sons, Phillip, James (Maria) and Stephen (Chris) Beirne; and his daughters, Erin (Jon) Fain, Leslie (Randy) Kazin and Jennifer Uren. He was beloved by his 14 grandchildren: Robert, Ben, Susan and Danny Fain; Mitch and Connor Kazin; Jack, Joe and Jimmy Uren; Talia and Tia Beirne; and Maia, Luke and Libby Beirne.

He is also survived by his brothers Chuck and Ed Beirne and his sisters Elaine (Paul) Raglow, Janet Beirne and Agnes Beirne; his brothers and sisters in law, Sheila (Jerry) Ritchie, Phillip (Terry) Kelly, Kelly (Bo) Ryan and Jane (Bill) Gardner; numerous nieces and nephews and many special friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Martin and Agnes Beirne, his parents-in-law Richard and Mary Kelly, his brother Patrick Beirne, his sisters-in-law Elizabeth Beirne, Mary Kelly and Norine Beirne and his brother-in-law Richard Kelly.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 1, 2018 at Cress Center, 6021 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, at 12:00 p.m. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service.

Donations in Greg's name can be made to the UW Forest and Wildlife Ecology Fund (forestandwildlifeecology.wisc.edu).


Cress Center
6021 University Avenue, Madison
608-238-8406