Gary Dean Anschutz, son of Donald Richard Anschutz and Edith Marie Pentico Anschutz, was born Aug. 31, 1940, on his parents’ farm in rural Rippey.
Gary died Oct. 3, 2017, at the Greene County Medical Center after a courageous 11-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 77 years old.
Gary’s family eventually moved into Rippey, where he attended school, graduating with the class of 1958. Gary was active in band and vocal music.
Shortly after graduation, he joined the U.S. Marines and served in Japan and Okinawa.
After his honorable discharge, he married Joyce Elaine Parker in June 1963. Gary and Joyce were blessed with six children, Wayne, Brad, Brian, Christine, Sherry and Terry.
Their first five years were spent in Rippey. They moved to Jefferson in October 1968.
Gary worked at Franklin Manufacturing before taking a management job with Jefferson Diversified. The company later was known as Chicago Rivet, where he retired in November 2007.
Gary and Joyce enjoyed many years camping. They also enjoyed bowling together in a couple’s league, and he bowled in a men’s league.
Attending car races was another of Gary’s interests, but above all he loved being with his family. They in turn provided comfort and support during these last years of his illness. Gary and Joyce moved to Scranton during his final week.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Don and Edith; infant son, Terry; son, Brian; in-laws, Chuck and Marie Parker; brother-in-law, Kenneth Glenn; niece, Mary Glenn; nephew, Mark Judge; and sister-in-law, Arlene Hendrickson.
Gary was a quiet, considerate man his whole life. His memory will be cherished by his wife, Joyce, of Scranton; sons, Wayne (Elena) Anschutz of Navarre, Fla., and Brad (Shannon) Anschutz of rural Scranton; daughters, Christine (Jennifer Lloyd) Anschutz of Bayard and Sherry (Tony) DeMello of Marysville, Wash.; and daughter-in-law, Jackie Anschutz of Boxholm. Gary is also survived by his much loved grandchildren, Cristel Arnett of Pensacola, Fla., Richard Anschutz of Navarre, Fla., Ellayne Anschutz of Pensacola, Fla., Charlene (Brad) Swain of Madrid, Steven Anschutz of Perry, Jorden (Junior) Rudolph of Ankeny, Samantha Janssen of Audubon, Nicole Anschutz of Perry, Bradley Anschutz and Braden Anschutz, both of Scranton, Hunter Lloyd of Bayard, Terry Anschutz of Scranton, Parker DeMello, Mikkel DeMello and Jorja DeMello, all of Marysville, Wash., and Kristeina and Zoey Anschutz, both of Boxholm; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Shirley Glenn of Altoona; sister-in-law, Charlene (Tom) Judge of Ankeny; cousins; nieces; nephews; other relatives; and friends.
