Gary C. Gilson, 79, of Oelwein passed away on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Friday November 2, 2018 at the Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein and from 9:30 to 10:30 on Saturday at the Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oelwein with Father Ray Atwood and Deacon Jim Patera officiating.  Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Oelwein.  A memorial fund has been established.

Gary was born on May 4, 1939 in West Union, Iowa, the son of Oliver W. and Corinne (Wenger) Gilson. He attended school in Clermont, graduating in 1957. He later attended Upper Iowa University for two years where he played football and wrestled, before beginning employment with Interstate Power Company, retiring from Alliant Energy in 1999.  Gary was united in marriage with Beverly Oelberg on April 24, 1960 at the First Baptist Church in Elgin, Iowa. Beverly passed away on September 15, 1996. Gary was united in marriage to Karen Stevens on October 11, 1997 at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein. After his retirement, he enjoyed many years of working with all of the great people at Edgewater and Hickory Grove Golf Courses, vacations to Florida and Texas, helping his brother-in-law with fall farming, playing Santa Claus, reading westerns, delivering Meals on Wheels, coffee with the golf guys at Hickory Grove and eating at Subway. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Parish and the Knights of Columbus in Oelwein. He loved sports, especially baseball, and was a big fan of the Oelwein Huskies UNI Panthers, and Wartburg Knights.  Gary’s greatest enjoyment was following all his grandchildren’s activities. He was a very proud grandpa.  Gary touched many lives and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife Karen; daughter Becky Batterson of Waterloo; son Tim (Catherine) Gilson of Oelwein;  four step children: Ann (fiancé-Kevin Dycus), Bradley Burrows, Jeffery (Jill) Burrows  and Kelly (Andrew) Bourquin; eleven grandchildren: Brandon, Beau, Cortney, Taylor, Zac, Jacob, Graciela, Louis, Nolan, Trevor and Kyla; brother David Gilson of Des Moines; sister-in-law Alyce (Dean) Hilgerson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Gary was preceded in death by his first wife Beverly; his parents Oliver and Corinne; his sister and her husband, Karen and Gene Ellis.