Gary Mardorf

MARDORF, WILSON, ERIKSON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/20/2021 at 12:06:09

To family and friends, he was always Gary, our smart, adventurous, happy, beloved husband and father. God in his mercy has freed him from earthly cares and wrapped him in peace and comfort of the everlasting arms.

Gary was born in Monticello, IA, and raised on the family farm of parents Wilhelm 'Bill' and Kathryn 'Katie' Wilson Mardorf west of town. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Monticello. In 1964, he graduated from Maquoketa Valley High School where he played football and basketball. Gary graduated with Cum Laude honors from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA in 1968, earning a Bachelor of Science in accounting and math. He was president of his senior class and of Beta Theta Phi fraternity and is listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

As of June 1968, Gary was employed by IBM until drafted into the Adjutant General Corps of the US Army, where he served from 18 Nov 1969 to 23 Oct 1971. After an officer basic training course at Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN, Gary married Linda Erikson, a UIU graduate from Manchester, IA at St. Matthew on Mar 21, 1970. Their married life began at Fort Monroe, VA where he served as an operations officer for the command's computer system. He received an honorable discharge and the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service.

Gary resumed his 20-year IBM career in technical support and sales in the Waterloo, IA field office. Promotions led the family to Minneapolis where he was an advisory regional marketing representative focused on large financial institutions and to White Plains, NY with responsibility for headquarters marketing and planning functions for printing hardware and software products. Home was in Eden Prairie, MN and then Stamford, CT for the last two corporate assignments. IBM-I've Been Moved.

Gary's printing systems expertise caught the attention of Xerox Corporation. With an offer he couldn't refuse, he pursued a 13-year career in El Segundo, CA from Aug 1988 through Mar 2021, and home was in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. His responsibilities culminated as VP / General Manager / Business Operations / Xerox Printing Systems in 1998. He was responsible for worldwide activities managing a sales force, tactical pricing to promote sales, and manufacturing and delivery of Xerox printing devices.

In Apr 2001, two months before his 55th birthday, Gary happily retired and moved with Linda to Sun City Anthem, a Del Webb active adult community, in Henderson, NV. He enjoyed power naps to make up for years of lost sleep and extensive business travel, welcomed visitors to share the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street, planned Gold Wing travel adventures with Linda across the USA and Canada for 2-3 months at a time. Gary proudly celebrated Chad's graduation from the University of Texas, Austin, and enjoyed visits to Minneapolis, NYC, Seattle, and San Francisco as Chad's successful business career evolved.

Surviving are wife Linda, son Chad in San Francisco, sister Suzanne (Dennis) Joslyn in Monticello, brother-in-law Dennis (Patti Wilson) Erikson in Manchester, IA, niece Sonya (Jim) Joslyn Grant in Vacaville, CA, nephew Lon Joslyn in Monticello, and nieces Cindy Marsh and Lisa (Marsh) Ross in Clinton, IA. Gary was preceded in death by mother Katie in Dec 2012, father Bill in Mar 2013, sister Nancy Marsh in Feb 2018, Nancy's husband Robert 'Bob' Marsh in Nov 2010 and niece Dee Ann Marsh in Feb 1982.

Gary was a member of New Song Lutheran Church in Henderson, NV. He enjoyed the great outdoors-hunting in Iowa in his early years, camping and motorcycle touring of national parks as a retiree. Action movies, music, and financial programming and publications were lifelong interests. He was a die-hard sports enthusiast - NCAA, NBA, PGA, NHL, NASCAR. He and Linda attended the opening of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when Xerox was a corporate sponsor, and Gary had been enjoying the Olympic trials for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games.

Memorial services will be held 10:30 Friday morning, August 27, 2021 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Monticello, with interment in the Oakwood Cemetery, Monticello. Pastor David Raemisch will officiate at the services. Friends may after 9:00 Friday morning at the church. Mask’s must be worn and fitted properly over the nose and mouth at all times to enter the church. Social distancing needs to be practiced as well. By visiting Goettschonline.com you may share your thoughts, memories and condolences with Gary’s family and sign the online guest book. Goettsch Funeral Home has taken Gary and his family into their care.

As Christians, we don't say “goodbye.” We say, “We will see you again, Gary.” Death is not the end, but the beginning. Not the surrender of life but of earth. Not a time for tears.