Blaine R. Proue

Blaine Richard Proue, 72, of Chippewa Falls, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, July 9, 2026, after a courageous 2½-year battle with lung cancer.

Blaine was born on September 22, 1953, in Chippewa Falls to Richard and Loretta (Engen) Proue. He grew up in Eau Claire and graduated from North High School before attending CVTC’s Recruit School, where he began preparing for a career in law enforcement.

On August 26, 1972, Blaine married the love of his life, Sally Woodford. Together they shared nearly 54 years of marriage and raised their family in Cochrane, Wisconsin. During that time, Blaine proudly served as Village President of Cochrane for ten years.

Blaine dedicated more than 36 years to serving the communities of western Wisconsin through law enforcement. He began his career with the Eau Claire County Sheriff's Office, serving as a deputy from 1979 to 1981. He then joined the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office, where he served as a deputy from 1981 to 1989 before being promoted to Chief Deputy, a position he held until 1999. Blaine concluded his distinguished career with the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office, serving as Lieutenant at the Chippewa County Jail from 1999 until his retirement on January 2, 2016.

Outside of his career, Blaine was a man who could build or fix just about anything. A self-taught craftsman, he enjoyed home improvement projects, woodworking, fishing, and spending time at the gun range. He found satisfaction in working with his hands and was always willing to lend his knowledge and skills to help family and friends.

More than anything, Blaine loved his family. He was a devoted husband, proud father, and cherished grandfather who treasured every moment spent with those he loved.

Blaine will be deeply missed by his wife of 53 years, Sally; his children, Andrew Proue, Jill (Dan) Lacher, and Erin (Josh) Hill, all of Chippewa Falls; his grandchildren, Brenen, Elizabeth, Michael, and Angela; his siblings, John Proue, Kris (Art) Zueleger, Lynn (John) Stoneberg, and Mike (Ruthann) Proue; along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A special acknowledgement to Becky, Mary Ann, and Jane.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Loretta, and his brother, Rick.

Blaine will be remembered for his kindness, quiet demeanor, willingness to help others, wealth of knowledge, and unwavering support of his family. His quiet strength, dependable nature, and genuine care for others made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Blaine's St. Croix Hospice care team—Kaitlyn, Maddie, Nita, and Ashley—for the exceptional compassion, comfort, and care they provided throughout his journey. Your kindness brought peace not only to Blaine, but to his entire family.

A visitation will be held Thursday, July 16, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls. There will be a Sheriff's Department Honor Guard and Walk Through at 4:00 p.m. to honor Blaine's years of dedicated service.