Our brother, uncle, and sweet friend, Gary Glissmeyer, passed away late in the afternoon of Monday, July 20, 2020.
Gary was born April 19, 1939 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the second child and first son of LeRoy Christian and Anne Mulder Glissmeyer.
Our brother was known by his family and close friends by his middle name. He was an amazing friend and brother.
As young men, Gary, and his lifelong friend Bill Morris together attended the 24th Ward, West High School and continued to attend sporting events for decades after they graduated. Gary, Bill, and Bill’s son also went to as many Salt Lake Bees/Gulls/Trappers/Buzz/then again Bees games as possible. He also enjoyed many games with his brother Lee and his wife Tonna, and also other brothers and nephews. He also loved to go to hockey games when possible and could be very enthusiastic as a spectator.
Gary also ensured that his brothers became well acquainted with his beloved Utah Utes football and basketball teams. He loved to sing the Fight Song and as the song finished, he would belt out an enthusiastic, “Go Utes” while holding his hands in the “U”. On a given football game day if watching the Utes on TV, others in the family were treated to a loud proclamation of “Touchdown Utah!” belted out verbally by Gary. If the sport was basketball, “Basket Utah” was exclaimed or if an official’s call went the way of the Utes, Gary would exclaim, “Yipee!”
He also had the distinction of being called “Chief” by his brother Dave, and his friends of the West High School of 1958 called him “Big Klu” after Theodore Bernard “Big Klu” Kluszewski, who was an American professional baseball play from 1947 through 1961. They were both lefties and played first base and were about the same height. Gary participated in high school activities as a manager of the baseball team and as a member of the Speech Club.
Perhaps his favorite title was that of “Uncle Gary” to 11 nieces and nephews and 15 great nieces and great nephews. In his later years during visits with family, Gary would recount the names of his beloved immediate and extended family by name and where they resided.
Gary worked for 37 years at the Salt Lake Rest Home. He saved his money and each year he loved to take a bus tour to different locations in the United States and Canada. Gary had a fun personality and could remember every joke and story that he and the residents of the rest home shared with each other. He very willingly shared his jokes with friends and family and anyone who would listen. Gary loved to play board games and nearly wore out the ‘Wahoo’ board game, a game like Trouble, while playing games with anyone who would sit down long enough to participate and watch him methodically move the four marbles around the board with the shake of the dice.
He loved his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He faithfully served as a teacher, coach, elder and high priest. One summer he served at the Hill Cumorah Pageant in upstate New York. While working, Gary also served for 14 years as a temple worker at the Salt Lake Temple. His devotion to his Savior, Jesus Christ was not casual. One of his former Sunday School students noted that Gary’s lessons were well prepared and that there was not a more sincere teacher of the Gospel. Even into his last years he consistently read the scriptures and the Ensign magazine and attended every church meeting possible at the Kenwood Second Ward and later at the branch at Holladay Health Care until recent months when the meetings were put on hold due to the pandemic.
Many thanks to those of the ward, branch and the care center for their kind service to our brother and uncle and friend.
Gary is survived by his sister, Shirlee Hart and by his brothers Lee (Tonna) and Mark (Ann) and much-loved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brothers Douglas and Dave.
As his family, we hope that we can be like the good that we were shown by the wonderful example of our dear brother and uncle.
Only private family services were held. No public services were held or planned.