Gary Thomas Marquart

Gary Thomas Marquart, known to friends and acquaintances as "Gunner", passed away November 1, 2016.

Gary was born January 15, 1938 in Cheyenne Wyoming to Otto and Blanche Marquart (Trauernicht). The Marquart family moved often, but Gary, and later his brothers Merlin and Ron, spent the majority of their childhood growing up in small towns across Nebraska. Eventually, the Marquart family made their way to Colorado, where Gary graduated from Boulder High School.

After graduation, Gary joined the United States Navy, serving as a Gunners Mate on the USS Compton (DD705). Gary had many fond memories of this time of his life, and his Navy roots ran deep. His son and step-daughters were often regaled with stories of his various Naval adventures, particularly on one special Christmas Eve when he kept the entire family in stitches for several hours.

After leaving the Navy, Gary worked as a builder on a blacktop crew. He enjoyed this work, but eventually left it to become a carpenter with his father. Gary was a proud member of the Carpenters Union Local 510 and received his 50 year pin just a few years before his passing. Some of the notable projects that Gary worked on were the St. Vrain nuclear power plant, the Cherokee power plant, the Boulder Mall, and the Anheuser-Busch plant in Fort Collins.

Gary never knew a stranger. He was fearless in his ability to talk to anyone. He enjoyed lacing his unique sense of humor into conversations, and he always had a joke ready. One of Gary's favorite activities was going to garage sales, and while he loved finding bargains and treasures, it was clear to anyone who went with him on these trips that just getting out and talking to people was a big part of the fun for him. Where ever Gary would go, he would make people laugh and they would remember him. He knew just where to go and on what day to get a free cup of coffee, a cookie or two, or just a chance to sit and tell some stories.

Gary was proud of being a Vet, and for several years after retirement volunteered for the Disabled Veterans of America as the Van coordinator. Gary was eventually recognized by the Fort Collins Coloradoan for these efforts. He also volunteered on several occasions at the homeless Veterans Standdown in Fort Collins.

Many people will remember Gary because of his deep and abiding love of firearms. Gary loved spending time tinkering, shooting and hunting and in fact was a very good shot. Over the years, Gary helped out a vast number of shooters, even serving for a time as an instructor helping kids get their Hunters safety cards.

Gary was also generous to a fault. His son remembers off-handedly mentioning that a friend of his was thinking about getting into reloading his own ammunition, and Gary immediately produced a kit to get that friend started, even though at that point he had only met this friend in passing. There are many instances of Gary buying food for homeless people and including a little extra money in the bag to help them out, along with conversation and advice on where to go for help.

The family will forever remember the connection that Gary had with his beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Rosie. Gary loved this dog, and during the time that they spent together they were very literally inseparable. A popular family story rotates around the time Gary was in the hospital getting his knee replaced. He was a bit depressed, and his wife Violet had come to visit him without telling him that she had brought Rosie. In talking to Violet and his son, Gary was less than enthusiastic. We had taken him out to the courtyard to get some sun, and Violet snuck off to get Rosie. When Rosie came around the corner and saw Gary, she leaped into his lap and he immediately cheered up, introducing Rosie to many of the hospital staff (while ignoring his son and Violet). It is telling that in his last few hours on earth, Gary mentioned that he could see Rosie.

Gary adored his three grand-children Aileen, Leigh-Anne and Joseph. He had a very special relationship with them, and they in turn were fiercely loyal to him. Aileen, his "Diamond in the Sky", was particularly fond of her Papa, watching over him when he wasn't feeling well and even giving him the occasional haircut. Towards the end of his life, Gary's son brought two more grandkids into the fold, Grace and Nathan. They did not get to spend as much time with Papa Gary, but even the small amount of time they did spend with him produced happy memories for them, particularly a special Christmas Local 510 Christmas party that Papa made sure they got to participate in.

He is survived by his wife of almost 30 years Violet Marquart: one son Timothy Marquart and his wife Vicki, Greeley, Colorado: two step daughters Angela Brennan and her husband Bernard Loveland, Colorado: Jennifer R. Fockler and her fiancée Jeromy King, Falfurrias, Texas: five step grandchildren Aileen Woolf and husband Jordan, Omaha, Nebraska, Leigh-Anne Withers, Loveland, Colorado, Joseph Withers, Loveland, Colorado, Grace Hinchley, Greeley, Colorado and Nathan Hinchley, Greeley, Colorado. Two brothers Merlin Marquart, Pine Bluff, Wyoming, Ron Marquart, and his wife Cindy of Lake Havasu City, Arizona He was preceded in death by his parents.

Celebration of Gary's life will be Saturday, January 28, 2017, 2-4 pm at the Elks Lodge, 1424 East Mulberry Street, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524.

In Memory of Gary, donations can be made to the National office of the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org and clicking the "donate now" button or you can mail your donation to DAV, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.