Schwarting, Gary Lee

Gary Lee Schwarting, 64, of Ankeny, went home to be with Jesus on Friday, July 6, 2012, after a courageous 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He fought the good fight and received treatments at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He bravely volunteered for a Clinical Trial at Mayo to help find a cure, often saying, “Maybe this will help other people in the future.”

Gary was born on Nov. 25, 1947, in Williamsburg, Iowa, to Harold and Shirley Schwarting. He attended Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School in Williamsburg through ninth grade, Williamsburg High School and AIB in Des Moines. After graduating from AIB, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves, 103rd Support Brigade.

On Sept. 8, 1968, he was united in marriage to his wife, Janice (Jan). Gary was a devoted employee for 45 years with Iowa Paint/Pittsburgh Paint (PPG). During his employment he was given many opportunities including store manager and territory salesman.

Gary was an active member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church where he enjoyed serving on numerous committees and loved spending time with congregational friends in different activities. He loved the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Chicago Bears, especially when the Bears beat the Packers. Gary enjoyed yearly fishing trips to Canada, hunting, mowing friends' lawns and painting. He especially loved spending time with his twin grandsons, not only being their grandpa, but also a Christian mentor and friend. They shared lots of laughter and fun together.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jan; daughter, Ashley (Joel) Ott; twin grandsons, Kyle and Eric of Ankeny; sister, Donna (Bruce) Lundeen of East Moline, Ill.; and brother, Rick (Barb) Schwarting of Atkins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Shirley Schwarting.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 a. m. Tuesday at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 4003 Second Ave., Des Moines with burial to follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mercy Hospice in loving memory of Gary.

Online condolences may be expressed at .

Published in The Gazette July 10, 2012.