Gary L. Stuhr

Gary’s service will be livestreamed below at 2 pm, Friday, January 6

Gary Lloyd Stuhr was born in Fargo, ND on November 4, 1938 to Dorothy H. (Bernardy) Stuhr and Lloyd E. Stuhr. He was the eldest of four children. His siblings were Diane (Stuhr) Schuman, Gerald Stuhr, and Joanne (Stuhr) Miller. Gary grew up on a farm in Downer, Mn and as the eldest son, Gary was integral to growing and sustaining the family farm. As a young man he participated in 4-H, winning numerous recognitions for the family farm for the cattle and other farm animals he raised. The farm life afforded little free time, but when able, Gary did enjoy riding his Palomino horse, playing football, participating in track, and climbing a myriad of things as he said, “Like a trapeze artist”. In 1958, he graduated from Barnesville High School.

As a young man, he continued his connection to nature by joining the Soil Conservation Service as a Soil Conservation Aide, and later worked at NDSU in the Agronomy Department involved in wheat research. In 1960, Gary entered the Air Force reserve, and in 1968, he entered the 119th Air Force/Air National Guard as a full time jet fighter mechanic. Gary was proud of his work and his planes, and would receive many Commendation Honors for Sustained Superior Performance as a technician for the “Happy Hooligans”. Gary served in the Air Force/Guard for 38 total years before retiring in 1998 as an E7 Master Sargent. Gary was a dedicated and exceptionally responsible military man, who often spoke of serving the mission, and of “Abigail”, an F4 jet fighter, which was one of his last mechanical responsibilities before Gary retired.

In 1962, Gary met Joanne T. (Bissel) Stuhr at the Catholic Cardign Club for Young Adults, and they married on April 20, 1963. Gary and Joanne remained together until his passing, and throughout their marriage, made homes in Moorhead and later in Fargo. Gary and Joanne were blessed with two daughters, Roxanne T. Stuhr in 1964 and Jacqueline M. (Stuhr) Baarstad in 1966. Gary delighted in both of his daughter’s active interests in and out of school, and was quite proud of their many creative accomplishments. On June 4, 1995, Gary was blessed with a grandson, Aaron G. Green (Jackie Baarstad). Aaron provided an immense amount of fun as Gary relived his own sport interests with him for many years. In 2009, Gary’s farm family would grow with his daughter, Jacqueline, marrying Leonard farmer John Baarstad, and their farmstead soon afforded Jackie and John many creative opportunities together. On July 7 of 2018, Gary’s family grew again with the marriage of his grandson, Aaron Green to Hannah (Cook) Green. On September 8 of 2020, Hannah gave birth to Gary’s great grandson, Apollo (Aaron & Hannah) Green. Over the years, Gary’s growing family would provide many delights to his days.

Gary’s hobbies were centered in mechanics and tree growing. Gary could often be found in his garage tinkering on a car with one of his buddies, or reworking tools to better suit his needs. If he was not under the belly of a car, he could be found on his 80- acre hobby farm that he purchased in 1963. That land would become a haven for wildlife as Gary planted 10,000 evergreens, countless fruit trees and installed several ponds to support the wildlife he loved. He worked hard to preserve his farm’s history, which included a visible well-worn oxcart trail, and many fossils/rocks that he would subsequently share with the Historical Society.

Gary always had many stories to tell, and at times, a few of his ‘Garyisms’ were timely teachers, while others simply created a laugh. One example recalled by Roxanne was his belief that more people needed to “use their heads, and just think!” which was a common response when one of his curious daughter’s often asked questions that did not seem to have an apparent answer. Gary cared deeply about the “Little Guy” serving as the president of his labor union for 25 years to create a platform for his colleagues needs. Gary was passionate about preventative health care, and was truly a vitamin man. Gary was career military, and thus prepared to fight for our freedoms, but throughout his life he sustained the life of many by giving 21 gallons of his own blood to others.

Gary taught his girls to be thoughtful stewards of the land and to be aware of the needs of others with explorations in “Gary’s Evergreen Forest” and the surrounding prairie on his farm providing insights into the wild, while the planting of a large vegetable garden every growing season provided a bounty for his family and at times, for neighbors. His wife, Joanne, complimented Gary’s softhearted but tough and rugged cowboy exterior with a gentle and kind approach to child rearing and life’s many realities. Joanne also converted Gary from a cattle farmer to a “cat farmer” providing “services” to many beloved feline housecats with their polydactyl cat, Sarge, being one of their most spoiled “children” they cared for together. Gary’s daughters, Roxanne and Jackie, as well as Aaron, Gary’s grandson, gave Gary an opportunity to play, which was not often afforded to Gary when he was a young person on the farm. In return, Roxanne, Jackie and Aaron were blessed with an honorable mentor, father and grandfather in Gary.

Gary spent the last four years of his life at Rosewood on Broadway (now SMP Health- St. Catherine North) due to a variety of health challenges, and although he was deeply missed at home, we were grateful for the at tentative care he received from the Rosewood staff, Essentia health care workers, and Red River Hospice. Gary lived a full and productive life, and his passing on December 20, 2022 will certainly leave indelible memories, and also leaves shoes that no other will ever be able to fill. Gary is preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy (Bernardy) Stuhr and Lloyd Stuhr; his sister Diane (Stuhr) Schuman and brother Gerald (Patti) Stuhr; his father in law, Charles W. Bissel; mother in law, Laverne E. (Davis) Bissel; sister in laws, Irene E. Bissel; Patti (Gerald) Stuhr and brother in laws, Gene (Joanne) Yeager, Kenneth (Shirley) Bissel, Leo (Diane) Schuman and Ron (Joanne) Miller.

Gary is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joanne (Bissel) Stuhr; daughter Roxanne Stuhr; daughter and son in law Jacqueline (John) Baarstad; grandson, Aaron (Hannah Cook) Green; great grandson, Apollo (Aaron & Hannah) Green; his sister, Joanne (Stuhr) Miller; sister in laws, Shirley (Kenneth) Bissel and Dorine (Charlie) Bissel; brother in law, Charlie (Dorine) Bissel; and 8 nieces and nephews including Mark (Zonia) Schuman, Paula (Trent) Johnson, Tom (Lauren) Schuman, David (Maren) Schuman, Angie (Bissel) Koestler, Ryan (Jen) Bissel, Blair Bissel, and Gregory (Paula) Bissel, as well innumerable members of his growing Stuhr-Bissel-Schuman-Green-Baarstad-Cook family. Gary always delighted in family and friends, and would certainly relish having them with him in the Celebration of his Life planned for January 6th 2023 at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo, ND with 1 pm visitation and 2 pm funeral.

In Lieu of flowers, Memorials are preferred to:
• MACV of MN (To End Homelessness for Veterans) at mac-v.org under their donate tab
• Cats Cradle Shelter & Rescue in Fargo at catscradleshelter.org
• Donate a Tree to thetreesremember.com under the Memorial Tab