Gary Belzer
Gary Belzer
Gary Belzer
July 22, 1941 – November 26, 2016
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 75
Served With Honor ~ United States Military Veteran
Gary Belzer, 75, of Oskaloosa, died Saturday, November 26, 2016, at the Mahaska Health Partnership Emergency Room in Oskaloosa. Gary was born July 22, 1941, in Oskaloosa, the son of Ray E. and Dorothy B. Harkins Belzer.
Gary graduated from Oskaloosa High School with the class of 1959. Following graduation, he worked at D.S. Barr Company in Oskaloosa.
On September 3, 1960, he was united in marriage to Judy Griffis at Oskaloosa. To this union, a daughter Mary Ann was born. Gary and Judy later divorced.
In 1961, Gary enlisted in the Iowa National Guard. He took his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and went on to Tank Commander Training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served in the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He continued to serve in the National Guard until his honorable discharge in 1968.
In 1963, Gary started working at the Machine Shop at Clow Valve in Oskaloosa. He retired from there as a supervisor in 2003.
Gary was an active member of the Oskaloosa American Legion where he had served on the Honor Guard and of the Elks in Oskaloosa.
When his daughter was in school, he looked forward to attending her band events and basketball games. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trap shooting, working on his house, and watching the Andy Griffith Show. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye Fan. Over the years, Gary enjoyed many fishing trips to Canada with his friends. He also enjoyed his many hunting dogs.
His family includes his daughter, Mary Ann (& Roger) Horn of Oskaloosa; his brother, Jim (& Bev) Belzer of New Sharon; his sister, Cathy (& Jim) Bush of Marshalltown; a brother in law, Dan Callahan of Brighton; close friends, Judy Belzer and Margie Anderson of Oskaloosa; many nieces and nephews; and his grand dog, Lucy “The Goose”.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Carol Callahan.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 29, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel with Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating.
Burial will be in the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa.
Graveside Military Honors will be given by members of the Oskaloosa American Legion and V.F.W. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin Monday morning after 11 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Monday evening to greet friends and relatives.
Memorials may be made to the Oskaloosa Honor Guard or the Mahaska County Freedom Rock.
