Vic the Barber, a Cedarburg 'fixture,' dies of COVID

NOW: Vic the Barber, a Cedarburg ’fixture,’ dies of COVID
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CEDARBURG, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Cedarburg community has lost a legend to COVID-19, Victor Krause, 74, better known as Vic the barber.

"He was a fixture. He was part of Cedarburg. Everybody knew him." said friend, co-worker and owner of McCutcheon's Barbershop, Scott McCutcheon.

"If Cedarburg was Mayberry, he was our Floyd." said Mike LaRosa, who knew Vic from the shop.

For 44 years, Vic Krause worked at his chair at the barbershop he owned, Vic's Barbershop, in downtown Cedarburg from 1977 to 2014. Krause continued working at that same spot after selling to Scott McCutcheon in 2014. Vic died of COVID on Tuesday, November 3rd.

"6:30 in the morning, Vic's either got a customer or is sitting in his chair reading the paper." remembered LaRosa of early morning drives down Washington Avenue in downtown Cedarburg.

"He loved telling jokes and he laughed at his own jokes." said McCutcheon. "He would tell the joke, if it was a new one, 20 times a day."

On Saturday, October 24th, Vic told McCutcheon he wasn't feeling well. Three days later he was in the hospital with COVID and pneumonia. Seven days later, Vic was gone. 


"I worked with him for 20 years. I'm so used to having him here." McCutcheon said. "When I came in on Tuesday, it was very difficult to not see him by his chair. I'm still struggling with it."

Vic was a father of four, a grandfather of five, a husband and step-father and a veteran of the United States Navy and a legend to the many people posting tributes online.

In an old school barbershop like McCutcheon's, which has been in downtown Cedarburg under different owners for a century, there are all kinds of opinions. Current owner Scott McCutcheon makes sure everyone hears his.

"I told so many customers that until it's in your own backyard, people don't believe that it's really something." McCutcheon said. "Well, you know what? It was in my backyard. And I lost a dear friend. It's simple. Put a mask on."

Vic the barber will be laid to rest at Mueller's Funeral Home in Grafton on Saturday, November 14th. 

More information on services and Vic's obituary are here.

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