Gary R. Gatrelle
April 21, 1945 — April 5, 2019
Gary R. Gatrelle, 73, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died surrounded by his family on Friday, April 5, 2019, at St. Luke’s Hospital Inpatient Hospice, Cedar Rapids. Visitation: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2019, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, with a 4:00 p.m. Scripture Service. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2019, at St. Ludmila Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids.
Gary was born April 21, 1945, the son of C. Richard “Dick” and Eileen (Jackson) Gatrelle. He graduated from Belle Plaine High School in 1963. Gary met the love of his life, Laurita Graap, in 1975, and they were united in marriage in 1988. He served in the United States Army from 1965 to 1975, obtaining the rank of Captain, and went on to enter the National Guard where he served for 13 years. Gary worked for Rapid Chevrolet in Cedar Rapids, and D.J. Laundry Service before retiring from Aramark in 2005. He was a member of American Legion Post #555 in Ely. Gary played the guitar and drums for the church choir. He loved raising horses on the couple’s farm, which they called “Old River Road Ranch”.
Survivors include his wife, Laurita; children, Eileen (Jeff) Hardman of Marion, Richard (Mandy) Gatrelle of Marion, Alexis (Robert) Benion of Cedar Rapids, Michael (Tina) Hendrickson of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, Gary Hendrickson of Denison, Texas, Jill (Paul) Elfgren of Kansas City, Kansas, and Michelle (Jake) Merfeld of Atkins, Iowa; 17 grandchildren; siblings, Nita Minor and Debbie (Paul) Floyd of Cedar Rapids; and sister-in-law, Chris Gatrelle of Corpus Christi, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, John Gatrelle; and brother-in-law, Glenn Minor.
A special thank you to St. Luke’s Inpatient Hospice for the wonderful care he received.
Gary was born April 21, 1945, the son of C. Richard “Dick” and Eileen (Jackson) Gatrelle. He graduated from Belle Plaine High School in 1963. Gary met the love of his life, Laurita Graap, in 1975, and they were united in marriage in 1988. He served in the United States Army from 1965 to 1975, obtaining the rank of Captain, and went on to enter the National Guard where he served for 13 years. Gary worked for Rapid Chevrolet in Cedar Rapids, and D.J. Laundry Service before retiring from Aramark in 2005. He was a member of American Legion Post #555 in Ely. Gary played the guitar and drums for the church choir. He loved raising horses on the couple’s farm, which they called “Old River Road Ranch”.
Survivors include his wife, Laurita; children, Eileen (Jeff) Hardman of Marion, Richard (Mandy) Gatrelle of Marion, Alexis (Robert) Benion of Cedar Rapids, Michael (Tina) Hendrickson of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, Gary Hendrickson of Denison, Texas, Jill (Paul) Elfgren of Kansas City, Kansas, and Michelle (Jake) Merfeld of Atkins, Iowa; 17 grandchildren; siblings, Nita Minor and Debbie (Paul) Floyd of Cedar Rapids; and sister-in-law, Chris Gatrelle of Corpus Christi, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, John Gatrelle; and brother-in-law, Glenn Minor.
A special thank you to St. Luke’s Inpatient Hospice for the wonderful care he received.
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