Gary Rosacker Obituary, Grand Island, Nebraska Resident Has Died At 72
Gary Rosacker Obituary, Death – Gary D. Rosacker, 72, of Grand Island, died on June 14, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. Gary Rosacker was born in Omaha, Nebraska on September 7, 1950, the second son of Warren and Shirley (Bull) Rosacker, and the older brother to two younger sisters. He grew up in Tekamah and attended Tekamah High School till 1968.
Gary recalled fondly his boyhood in eastern Nebraska, recalling freely playing with friends and cousins in and out of town, in barns, along the Missouri River’s banks, and climbing anything he could. Gary was tall, thin, and athletic, excelling at basketball and baseball, which he continued to enjoy for the rest of his life. Midland Lutheran College awarded him a Bachelor of Education in 1973. Gary taught for two years before returning to the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1978 to finish his Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology. The next year, he moved to Grand Island and began working for Chief Industries.
On March 20, 1982, he married Linda Hayworth. This union resulted in two sons, Christopher and Jeffrey. Gary moved to work for Federated Insurance, which was later acquired by Stephens-Ryder-McCue Insurance. In 1986, he joined the firm that would become Ryder Rosacker McCue & Huston, where he would serve as president for nearly four decades. Gary’s intelligence and genuine concern for the agency’s employees and clients resulted in numerous long-term relationships that extended far beyond the professional context.
Gary was very involved in his community. He was involved in the community, serving on the boards of Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska, the Heartland United Way, the Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation, Fonner Park, and his church, in addition to engaging in his kids’ activities. Outside of board service, he worked in a variety of positions and was a substantial contributor to a range of philanthropic projects, although he preferred to stay undetected and operate behind the scenes. Gary was baptised at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Benson, confirmed at Tekamah Emmanuel Lutheran Church, and has been a member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church on Grand Island for almost four decades.
Gary lived his life to the fullest. Among his interests were golf, scuba diving, skydiving, baseball, basketball, riding his four wheelers/ATVs, and being an adventurous and avid traveller. He had a keen interest in music and a great singing voice. He had always been a voracious reader, always reading one or more novels at a time. He enjoyed a variety of literary genres, the most renowned of which was history. He is also remembered for his quick wit and love of storytelling, which he used to make everyone he met laugh. Gary was an animal enthusiast, especially of dogs, and he cared for many of them throughout his life. He had an unequalled ability to build immediate and enduring connections due to his kindness, laughter, and genuine compassion for everyone he met. Even as he neared the end of his life, he continued to cultivate new, devoted friends. Above all, Gary cared deeply for his family, and he was a dedicated father and grandfather.
Linda, his wife of 41 years, will cherish his memory, as will his son, Christopher (Dana) Rosacker of Grand Island and their sons, Warren, Charles, and Frederick; brother, David (Melissa) Rosacker of Omaha; and sisters, Jeanne (Ron) Crumly of Page, NE and Nancy Rosacker of Neligh, NE. His mother-in-law, Jerane Hayworth, and brothers-in-law, Greg (Beth) Hayworth and Craig Groff, as well as nieces, nephews, and other acquaintances, also perished. Gary died after a ten-year battle with cancer, throughout which he displayed unyielding bravery, unwavering optimism, and unwavering grace. He was predeceased by his son, Jeffrey, his parents, Warren and Shirley Rosacker, his stepmother, Esther Rosacker, his father-in-law, Ronald Hayworth, and his sister-in-law, Stacy Groff.
All Faiths Funeral Home has been entrusted with Gary’s funeral arrangements. A visitation will be conducted in the Bosselman Conference Centre at Fonner Park in Grand Island on Wednesday from 5-7 PM. On Thursday, June 22, funeral services will be held at St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Grand Island at 11 a.m. The event will be presided over by Pastor Jeff Pedersen. The service will be aired live on Facebook by the church. The funeral will take place at Grand Island Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Central Nebraska Humane Society or the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation’s Jeffrey Rosacker Endowed Fund to help students in getting mental health care.