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Shields, Gary Lee
Gary Lee Shields, 69, of Marion, died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City. He was in palliative care at Unity Point-St. Luke's Hospital and University of Iowa Hospitals. Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, Cedar Rapids. The Rev. Emory Gillespie and the Rev. Ed Shields will officiate. Inurnment: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Survivors include his wife, DeAnn; a son, Todd (Alisa) of North Liberty; two grandchildren, Zachary and Ethan; a sister, Mary Lou Goetz of Norwalk; a brother, Jerry (Norma) of Mount Ayr; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son, Craig; his parents; and a brother-in-law, Benny Goetz.
Gary was born April 12, 1944, the son of Victor and Vernice Shields, in Mount Ayr. He was united in marriage to Judith DeAnn Shields on June 2, 1968, at First Christian Church in Lathrop, Mo.
He grew up in Mount Ayr and attended Mount Ayr High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Mo., and his master's degree in biology at the University of Northern Iowa in 1971. He taught high school biology at North Tama High School, Traer, and enjoyed 26 years as a biology professor at Kirkwood Community College. He was recognized by Kirkwood for excellence and attainment in education for his long career and caring approach to his teaching work.
Gary describes his greatest satisfaction in teaching as “seeing improvement in attitudes about studying science. Many students do not know their best work, as they have never done it before. It is rewarding to have students say things like, ‘I have never understood this before or I'm accomplishing something.'”
Gary enjoyed his grandsons, gardening, reading, traveling, cooking, nature photography, hiking and biking.
A memorial fun has been established.
Please leave a message or tribute to the Shields family on the Web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.
Published Nov. 16, 2013 in The Gazette
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