Dr. Howard G. Vigrass

Dr. Howard G. Vigrass, 88, of Mauk, GA, passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 12:00PM on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Draneville-Union Church in Buena Vista, GA with Bro. C. J. Yarbrough officiating. A private family burial will follow the service. The family invites friends to the residence of Dr. and Mrs. Vigrass after the service for a light lunch. The family will greet friends on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 5:00-7:00PM at Way-Watson Funeral Home in Buena Vista.

Dr. Vigrass was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada, on March 31, 1937, the youngest of seven children, to Victor William and Anna Haesch Vigrass. After graduating from High School Pathlow in Saskatchewan, he attended the University of Saskatchewan and then Medical School University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Vigrass served as an Intern at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX, from 1962-1963, and completed his residency at The Medical Center in Columbus, GA. During his tenure at The Medical Center, he founded the Family Practice Residency Program, a first in the State of Georgia, and one of the first in the southeast.

From August 1, 1970, until his retirement in 2017, Dr. Vigrass served the Columbus/Phenix City community. From an excerpt of his biography: “Dr. Vigrass is noted for his knowledge and love of medicine…” He nurtured and taught hundreds of Family Physicians who can be found practicing across the country. When he was at home, he enjoyed raising cattle, gardening, hockey and reading. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Ruth Hetland (Orville), Lillian McConnell (Frank), Marguerite Burke (Sam), Louise Szezpanski (Frank), Laurence Vigrass (Glenna), and Barbara McKnight (Kenneth).

He is survived by his wife, June Vigrass; four children, Peggy Bonner (Don), William Vigrass (Liz), Clayton Vigrass (Andrea), and Naomi Vigrass; by grandchildren, Maggie Cassaday (Phillip), Abbey Schmittou (Hunter), Kathryn Mick (Josef), Elizabeth Higby (Coulter), Mary Grace Vigrass, and Allison Vance; and by great-grandchildren, Charlie, McKinley, and Mason Cassaday, Brantly, Cooper, and Rawlins Schmittou. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Way-Watson Funeral Home, 1052 Dr. Deryl Hart Road, Buena Vista, Georgia has been entrusted with these arrangements.