Caylor to run for second term as Lincoln County Coroner

LINCOLN COUNTY – Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor has announced her intention to seek a second term.

Caylor was first elected Coroner in 2022, succeeding Paul Proulx, who retired from the post after serving for 16 years.

Since Caylor’s election to the position, several milestones have been reached.

A large secure cooler was installed to store human remains pending autopsy, post autopsy, or while awaiting identification or for families to choose a funeral home. This removed the burden previously placed on the funeral homes in the county that were making removals and storing remains, often at no charge.

Marathon County opened its Forensic Science Center in 2025, allowing autopsies to be completed on a timelier basis and not requiring a day of traveling for both the Coroner and law enforcement to Madison.

Caylor said she has developed a solid working relationship with the staff at Marathon County and works closely with them on complex cases, including those that do not require a forensic autopsy.

In 2025, the Oneida County Medical Examiner and Deputy Medical Examiner both resigned in a short period. Oneida County has a joint Medical Examiner that is shared by Forest, Oneida, and Vilas Counties. Oneida County called upon Caylor to help guide it through the transition and also in the investigation of several cases.

The once dormant Death Review Team was reactivated. This team consists of numerous stakeholders in the community who work to understand trends and seek ways to prevent deaths. As an example, in 2023, 45 deaths were labeled accidental deaths, with the largest factor being falls. By 2025, the number of accidental deaths in Lincoln County had dropped to 21 after the local healthcare community focused on initiatives to prevent both falls and accidental deaths.

In the wake of a tragic death on Lake Alexander in the summer of 2025, Caylor continues to work with state and federal authorities to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide. It is her hope that the state adopts legislation similar to a law in neighboring Minnesota named “Sophie’s Law,” which requires carbon monoxide detectors on certain watercraft.

On average, the Lincoln County Coroner’s Office is informed of 350 deaths per year, of which around 100 turn into formal death investigations that require the Coroner to file all the proper paperwork, including a death certificate.

In Wisconsin, the position of Coroner is considered a partisan office. Caylor is a member of the Lincoln County Republican Party.