Gary Stuart died peacefully at his Big Lake home on Saturday, April 15, 2023. He was 74.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 20, at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Maple Lake with Fr. Kevin Magner as Celebrant. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, and 9-10 a.m. Thursday, both at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Maple Lake. A prayer service will be held at 4:15 p.m. Thursday at the funeral chapel. Burial will take place at 9 a.m. Friday, April 21, at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls.
Gary James Stuart was born Nov. 16, 1948, in St. Cloud to Harley and Isabella (Lewandoski) Stuart. He grew up in St. Cloud, graduating from St. Cloud Cathedral High School. Gary served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war. He worked as a tower technician for the State of Minnesota for 45 years, retiring in 2016. After dating for 30 years, Gary was united in marriage to Teresa Donnay Mertens on Feb. 26, 2022, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pearl Lake. Gary was a long-time member of St. Timothy Catholic Church in Maple Lake, the American Legion Post 147 in Big Lake, and a lifetime member of the DAV #39 in Anoka and the V.F.W. in Colorado. He enjoyed classic cars, baseball, rubber duckies, Hawaiian shirts, music, golfing, skiing, and tinkering. He will be remembered for kindness, generosity, and the lives he touched.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, and ex-wife Linda Stocker.
He is survived by his wife Teresa of Big Lake; children Greg Stuart of Orrock, and Gina Nowicki (and Ben Beumer) of Santiago; stepchildren Nichol (and John) Mertens-Maxson of Blaine, Andrea Dragan of Bemidji, and Nathan (and Alyssa) Mertens of Kimball; grandchildren Kassidy and Kody Nowicki; great-grandson Hudson Miller; nine step-grandchildren; two brothers and one sister; and many other relatives and friends.
Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Maple Lake.