Gary Lee Gruber

Gary L. Gruber passed away at his home on Friday, August 23, 2019 at the age of 80 surrounded by his family.

Gary, son of Herbert and Naomi Gruber, was born on June 6, 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up on the family farm north of Cozad and graduated from Cozad High School in 1957.

As a child and young man he helped with all the farm duties, assisting to establish trees which are growing in the yard today, and cleaning, sorting, and packing eggs to sell in town. He was on a tractor at a young age, helping plant and harvest crops, and fed and cared for the cattle in his dad’s livestock operation.

In 1960, Gary married Mary Sullivan, the love of his life. They shared nearly 59 years in marriage, and created a loving home for their 4 children. They built a beautiful life together, sharing in the raising of their children, celebrating holidays and life events, welcoming grandchildren, and growing in their love for each other every day. Gary and Mary shared a love of animals and cared for many over the years. Gary’s favorite pet was Fonzie, a stray dog that found his way to the farm and adopted Gary as his best friend. Gary also had a special love of birds. Peacocks, chickens, and ducks have wandered the property for years and wild bird feeders can be found everywhere.

In the mid 70’s Gary started Gruber Painting. The business took him to many towns and cities in the area where he enjoyed meeting the people he worked for and traveling to various communities. Over the years, Gary employed a number of people, and at times offered jobs to those who had difficulty finding work. He cared deeply for his employees and would go the extra mile to help them however he could.

Gary had a great social group of friends who met at the coffee shop each morning. They shared meals, coffee, and strong friendships through the years, each one truly caring about the other’s families and offering help when needed.

Over the years, Gary and Mary were able to share a number of adventures, traveling to much of the US and Europe. He loved seeing the beautiful scenery and learning about the history of the places he visited. He would often talk about his adventures, bringing up his favorite parts of each trip and being grateful for the opportunities he had to see the world.

Gary was selflessly devoted to his family. As the father of four children, he dedicated much of his time to them. He attended sporting events and school activities, helped with homework, and made sure his kids had everything they needed. When his kids moved on and married, Gary was always there to help out with problems, care for grandchildren, and offer advice when it was needed.

Gary had a deep faith in God and dedicated much of his time to serving the church. He served on several church committees and offered his professional expertise to keep the church well cared for and maintain its beauty.

Gary was preceded in death by his mother and father. He is survived by his loving wife, Mary; his sister Karen (Don) Stauffer; sons, Gary (Tammy) Gruber of Taylor, Mark Gruber of Cozad, and Darby (Wendy) Gruber of Kenai, AK; daughter Julie (Lee) Williames of Anchorage, AK and daughter-in-law Calli Gruber of Omaha; 14 grandchildren Trysta (Josh) Asche of Loup City, Gray and Garek Gruber of Taylor, Platte (Andrea) Gruber of Lincoln, Jacob Gruber of Omaha, Mickayla and Markenna Heston of Lincoln, Colt Williames of Suwon, South Korea, Taryn Williames of College Station, TX, Riley Williames of Cambridge, England, Gray and Jack Williames of Anchorage, AK, and Ava and Sophia Gruber of Kenai, AK; great grandchildren Taegan, Jersey, Eden, and Sincerity; and many nieces and nephews.

Online condolences may be shared at berrymanfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to Nebraska Children’s Home or a charity of the donor’s choice. Services will be Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Cozad United Methodist Church with Pastor Doug Gahn officiating. Burial will follow at Cozad Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, August 28, 2019 from 1 pm to 8 pm with family present from 6 pm to 8 pm at Berryman Funeral Home.