Gary Leonard Kersten died April 27, 2016 at The Good Shepherd Hospice in Lakeland, FL at the age of 70. Gary was born in Janesville, WI on December 7, 1945 to Bernice Josephine (Buehl) Kersten and Leonard Robert Kersten. He graduated from high school in Milton in 1964 and the University of Wisconsin, Platteville in 1968, where he was a member of Phi Sigma fraternity. He worked for Del Monte Foods in Rochelle, IL, Uvalde, TX, and Sleepy Eye, MN in a career that spanned 40 years. In Wisconsin, he grew his roots and a lifelong love for the Packers. In Illinois, he found an amazing wife, best friends for life, started a family, and began a career. In Texas, he was free to be the cowboy at heart he’d always been. While not conquering Big Bend National Park on horseback, he was learning killer recipes for skirt steak fajitas and pico de gallo salsa. In Minnesota, he moved to the city for the first time in his life, which gave him the free time to spend a decade running marathons, drinking Schell’s Deer Brand beer, and mowing the lawn. He retired in 2008 and moved “home” to Rockford, IL to be near family and friends, where he took his love of gardening to new levels. In 2011 he had a heart attack and just as he finished recovery discovered he had cancer, which he would bravely fight for over 4 years, a fight he never quit. Last year he “retired” again and moved to Davenport, Florida. He’ll be cremated and buried next to his mother at Milton Lawns Memorial Park.
Gary Leonard Kersten died April 27, 2016 at The Good Shepherd Hospice in Lakeland, FL at the age of 70. Gary was born in Janesville, WI on December 7, 1945 to Bernice Josephine (Buehl) Kersten and Leonard Robert Kersten. He graduated from high school in Milton in 1964 and the University of Wisconsin, Platteville in 1968, where he was a member of Phi Sigma fraternity. He worked for Del Monte Foods in Rochelle, IL, Uvalde, TX, and Sleepy Eye, MN in a career that spanned 40 years. In Wisconsin, he grew his roots and a lifelong love for the Packers. In Illinois, he found an amazing wife, best friends for life, started a family, and began a career. In Texas, he was free to be the cowboy at heart he’d always been. While not conquering Big Bend National Park on horseback, he was learning killer recipes for skirt steak fajitas and pico de gallo salsa. In Minnesota, he moved to the city for the first time in his life, which gave him the free time to spend a decade running marathons, drinking Schell’s Deer Brand beer, and mowing the lawn. He retired in 2008 and moved “home” to Rockford, IL to be near family and friends, where he took his love of gardening to new levels. In 2011 he had a heart attack and just as he finished recovery discovered he had cancer, which he would bravely fight for over 4 years, a fight he never quit. Last year he “retired” again and moved to Davenport, Florida. He’ll be cremated and buried next to his mother at Milton Lawns Memorial Park.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
