Nearly six months after assuming the position following the death of John Stanley, Dane County Coroner Ray Wosepka passed away Saturday of heart-related complications, a statement from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office said.
Wosepka previously served as the county’s coroner from 1988 to 2000, but retired in 2001 after being diagnosed with throat cancer.
He also served as a city of Madison police officer, correctional officer and court liaison during his time in Dane County, the Sheriff’s Office release said.
Wosepka was called on by Gov. Jim Doyle to once again fill the position after then-coroner John Stanley passed away from heart-related issues in September of last year.
A release from County Executive Kathleen Falk noted Wosepka had been in ill health in recent weeks, and his sudden absence from the office will be greatly mourned by many throughout the county government and those whose lives his work affected.
“Ray was a dedicated public servant with a friendly smile and unrivaled work ethic and he will be deeply missed. Our hearts go out to Ray’s family for their enormous loss,” Falk said in the release.
Joshua Wescott, spokesperson for Falk, said the impact of losing two able and committed individuals in such a short period of time has been taxing on all county staff, but particularly the coroner’s office.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Elise Schaffer confirmed the Rock County coroner’s office will be assisting in the operations of the Dane County coroner’s office for the time being.
“The loss of two great men, two great public servants, in such a short period of time is really causing, understandably, a lot of sorrow for those folks who they had worked with,” Wescott said. “It’s two enormous losses in a very short amount of time.”
He added the position’s difficulty in being available at nearly all hours of the day and the proximity to victim’s loved ones and their grievances highlights the strength of the men who have filled this position in the past.
The position of coroner and the day-to-day operations of the office will be taken over by Chief Deputy Coroner Barry Irmen until a replacement has been appointed.
