Dear Capper Family:
We (Dan & Katy Zens) recently learned of the passing of Greg. We extend our deepest sympathy for your loss.
I went to grade school at
St. Monica's and high school at WFB with Greg. I was a couple of years ahead of Greg, but what a "CLASS GUY"!!! I would see Greg in the Bay often. Where ever you would run into Greg, Sporting Events, Street Festivals, the bars, or just on the street, Greg would treat you like you were his "BEST FREIEND"!! He would always be asking about mutual friends, family, or just chat.
Greg was one
"SPECIAL GUY"!!! Greg will be missed. Rest in Peace Greg. Dan Zens &
Katy (Oppenheim ) Zens
Dan Zens
Shorewood, WI
Posted: 2/7/2025
To all of Greg’s family, please accept my heart felt prayers. I can’t express how much the news of Greg’s passing crushes me. I am completely unprepared to internalize losing someone who I spent so many years with and who provided so much joy to others! I wish I could have seen him more during these last couple of decades. Until we meet again Greg, God Bless. Martyl
Marty Moore
Ft. Worth, TX
Posted: 1/28/2025
I’m very sorry for your loss. I had the privilege of coaching against Greg when I was coaching at Grafton. Those were great basketball games with equally great memories. Greg not only impacted his players and teams at Bay, he also impacted the entire North Shore Conference. We were all better as a result of competing against him and his teams. He will be missed.
Bob Maronde
Grafton, WI
Posted: 1/25/2025
So sad to hear the news of Coach Capper passing- my condolences to the Capper family. Greg was my high school basketball coach in Green Lake and really impacted my lifelong love of hoops! He was always coaching! I think I still have some of the hand written drills he gave me to do daily. I have a very fond memory of staying at the Capper family home in Whitefish Bay and attending a Junior Bridgeman basketball camp with him at Milwaukee North Division high school. I remember his intense motivational spirit, and probably didn’t appreciate his messages as a young teenager, but now I can look back and just say thank you Coach! You definitely had a very positive impact on my life and how I’ve lived my life!
Dave Otto
Plainfield, IL
Posted: 1/25/2025
My deepest Sympathy to his family.
Greg would come to the basketball camps I would have and speak to the campers. To this day, I still use the "After" speech. He would say, " If your friends want you to go to the mall, or movie or hang out, you tell them AFTER, after I work out, after I lift weights, after I shoot baskets etc. After! That will make you stand out".
Coach Greg stood out also.
Tom Diciaula
Brookfield, WI
Posted: 1/23/2025
Elizabeth, I hold you in my heart. I'm so sorry for this heartbreak.
Mara Koffarnus
Milwaukee, WI
Posted: 1/23/2025
I went to grade school with Greg played on all the sporting teams at Saint Monica with him. Greg was a high-quality Man and Christian. Liked by everybody missed by all.
God bless you, greg.
Thank you.
John Reilly, with sons Mike and James.
John Reilly
Mesa, AZ
Posted: 1/22/2025
We met through basketball and became great friends. RIP my good friend, the basketball world and all you touched are saddened by your passing
Rick Bowen
River Falls, WI
Posted: 1/21/2025
My sympathies to the Capper family. Hold your memories close. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Kiki
Kiki Crowley Schweitz
Fox Point, WI
Posted: 1/21/2025
My deepest condolences to the family. This caught me off guard. Coach Capper was a very important part of my college life. He picked me up when I was down and gave me confidence to keep fighting on and off the court. He always had that positive spirit. Always wanting to bring out the best in you.
Sending prayers of strength and comfort.
“COACH”
Deon Edmonds
Chicago, IL
Posted: 1/17/2025
Greg was the older brother of Tim,whom I worked with for,several years at Major Goolsby's (before he opened Colonel Hart's), so I knew him before his coaching stint at UWM. There is a chair with a plaque on it to this day. He and his staff were fixtures when the team's games were moved to the,Arena.
He was funny and affable and would talk hoops at the drop of a hat..RIP!
Chris Peppas
Milwaukee , WI
Posted: 1/17/2025
Dearest Elizabeth and Capper family: we were so saddened to hear of the loss of Greg. He was the salt of the earth, the best of the best, and welcomed us to Milwaukee with open arms so many years ago. His smile and love for all people were iridescent. He will be missed so much.
Ron & Amy Hunter
New Orleans, LA
Posted: 1/17/2025
Greg lived one street over and we were great childhood friends. We walked to St. Monica's (and home too) for years. We both developed a love for Basketball at an early age and we played just about every night on the driveway court at the Cappers house on Kent. That sweet left handed jumper was finely honed playing me for hours. Additionally, when I saw him last at the WFB reunion in 23, he told me he moved right across the street from my old house on Bay Ridge. Farewell my old friend, life well lived. So long Cap.- Dave Precourt
David Precourt
Largo, FL
Posted: 1/17/2025
I met Greg in 2018 as a student in one of his spin classes. Quickly fell in love with his infectious optimism and energy. Over the last six years have seen him socially and was always buoyed by his smile.
Will never forget him.
Jay Balachandran
Whitefish Bay, WI
Posted: 1/17/2025
Sending my love, prayers, and sympathies to all of the Capper family members with special gratitude to Greg’s mother, Dorothy, for proudly introducing me to most of her amazing children.
I just received word of Greg’s passing and I’m sorry that I will not be in Wisconsin for his funeral to celebrate his wonderful life. Though I know he’ll be missed by many whose lives he so tenderly touched, I trust that with Greg’s beautiful example of, and strong gratitude for his Catholic Faith, he is well on his way to his eternal reward in paradise.
Greg was truly a good and faithful servant of God! May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace and May God’s warm eternal light shine upon Greg’s beautiful soul.
Reeny Mulcahy
Phoenix, AZ
Posted: 1/16/2025
Terribly sorry to hear of Greg’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and his family during this difficult time. I was first introduced to Greg in fall of 1983 when I was a new freshman at UWM and he was in need of a manager to help with the UWM men’s basketball team. I offered to to help and thus began a strong friendship and mentorship. If it weren’t for the lessons I learned from him I don’t know if I would’ve survived college. Thank you Greg, for being one of my only friends those first couple years.
God bless the whole Capper family.
John Huegel
Whitefish Bay, WI
Posted: 1/16/2025