Gary Struessel Obituary

Gary Struessel passed away in hospice care on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 after being diagnosed with liver cancer in April of 2013. He was born on November 7th, 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri to Erwin and Mildred Struessel. Gary was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He spent much of his youth caring for animals including raccoons, birds, and reptiles. He found his love for tennis in high school and spent much of life being an avid tennis player. He graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He joined the Army in 1968 and served his country honorably until 1971. After the military, Gary went to graduate school at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado where he would meet Patricia. They were married on June 9th, 1973 in Denver, Colorado and moved to Colorado Springs in 1974. Gary was a salesman at NCR and later owned Artech Business Forms serving customers across the Front Range. In 1977, he became the proud father of Scott Struessel. Gary is survived by his loving wife of 40 years Patricia (Johnson) Struessel. He is also survived by his son Scott daughter-in-law Shauna, grandson Dodge, his brother David of St. Louis, Missouri, and his sister Judith (Richard) Morton of Pensacola, Florida, as well as many nieces and nephews. Services will be held at Dove-Witt Family Mortuary at 6630 S. US Hwy 85/87, Fountain, CO 80817 on Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 1:00 pm. The burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Fountain, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Audubon Society: http//www.audubon.org.