- Date Of Birth: November 16, 1955
- Date Of Death: March 27, 2017
- State: Illinois
Gregory L. “Greg” DePauw, 61, of Metamora, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 27, 2017 in Metamora, Illinois.
Greg was born on November 16, 1955 in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Robert and Victorine (Waldschmidt) DePauw. An artist from a very young age, art was always the focus of his life. His passion for art and his perseverance helped him redefine his art techniques after following a backyard trampoline accident that left him a quadriplegic. Greg graduated from Illinois State University in 1982 with a degree in Art Education. He had special interest in Art Therapy and helped many others through Art. For many years, Greg was an Art Instructor for the Art in the Woods Program as well as an Artist-In-Residence in many area schools and teaching art in his own studio. In 1997, Greg combined his love of classic cars and art and started the ArtRod Foundation and brought his wheelchair-accessible car and his art teaching skills and art materials to hundreds of students in many Central Illinois schools. For several years, Greg hosted an Art Rod Festival with the help of his many friends and supporters to raise funds to support his work with the ArtRod Foundation. His own artwork has been shown extensively and acquired by many corporations and institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2002, Greg was named the first recipient of the Chronicles of Courage Artistic Award, given to him by Very Special Arts and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He traveled to our Nation’s Capital to receive this prestigious award recognizing his efforts for making a significant impact on his community as an artist with disabilities. In Greg’s own words, “No one ever does anything alone,” he said. “My ability to do things in the community is due to the fact that I surround myself with a lot of ‘can do’ people who enjoy life and art. Nobody accomplishes anything worthwhile by himself.”
There are countless people who helped Greg accomplish so much during his life: his loving parents until their deaths in the 1990’s; most of all, his brother, Doug, who has been his primary caregiver and best friend for decades; and his dear friends Fred Schrepfer and Todd Doremus. The family would also like to give thanks for all of Greg’s friends, artist friends, classic car buddies, and community supporters and teachers over the years. Also, many thanks to Greg’s doctors, nurses, EMT’s, friends and caregivers including his caregiver of many years, Marge Voelker and caregiver Mike O’Connor. Thank you to each and every one of you.
Surviving are his sister, Mary Jo (Jay) DePauw Rowley of Forsyth, Illinois; his brother Douglas R. (Lisa) DePauw of East Peoria, Illinois; and nieces Anne Rowley, Kate Rowley, Josie DePauw, and Nicki DePauw.
