Gary Recker

GARY RECKER

Cedar Rapids

Gary B. Recker, 64, of

Cedar Rapids, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2014. in his home after a long battle with ocular melanoma. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Teahen Funeral Home. Friends may visit with the family from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. before services.

Gary is survived by his wife, Linda Thomae Recker; son, Jeff (Emily) Recker of Boulder, Colo.; stepdaughters, Jennifer Thomae of Iowa City and Melanie Schnetzler of Washington D.C.; mother, Pearl (Schemmel) Recker of Dyersville; brothers, Kenneth (Anne) Recker of Ames, Steven (Cathy) Recker of Hopkinton and David Recker of Dyersville; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gerald Recker.

Gary was born March 4, 1949, in Monticello, Iowa, the son of Gerald and Pearl Recker. He grew up on the family farm in Sandsprings, Iowa, and graduated from Aquin High School in Cascade in 1967. Gary received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1972, a Master's of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iowa in 1973 and a Master's of Business Administration from the University of Iowa in 1994. He started working for Rockwell Collins in 1973 and spent most of his Rockwell career in commercial and government avionics, retiring as a principal systems engineer in Government Systems in May 2010.

Gary and Linda got engaged at the summit of Grays Peak (14,278 feet) in Colorado in the summer of 2002 and were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, on Aug. 10, 2003.

Gary exemplified the "work hard, play hard" motto throughout his life and many friends and family may consider him "the most interesting man in the world." He was passionate about his academic and professional career in avionics at Rockwell. Gary worked on and developed several cutting edge avionic systems throughout his career including avionic guidance systems and one of the first commercial aircraft collision avoidance systems. He also traveled extensively to Russia for Rockwell business in the early '90s shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Gary liked to play hard as well. He was an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed skiing, sailing, hiking, rock climbing, cycling, scuba diving and travelling. Gary loved to ski with family and friends, made frequent ski trips to Colorado throughout his life and was still skiing double black diamonds at age 62. He was actively involved in the Lake Macbride sailing community where he sailed his Hobie Cat every summer. Gary loved cycling as well and completed at least 15 RAGBRAIs.

Gary and Linda traveled extensively in Europe, including trips to France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Italy. They also enjoyed sailing in the Caribbean for a week or two every winter when they needed a break from the Iowa winters.

Gary was a great father, husband, brother, friend, neighbor, colleague and role model to all who knew him and we cherished our time with him.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be left at www.teahen

funeralhome.com.