Gary " Moose" Boettger

Although Gary Boettger was known as “Moose” because of his physical size, he was equally hard to miss because of his vibrant, fun-loving personality. With Moose it was either his way or the highway, yet his grandchildren had a way of turning him into a bit of a softie. An avid outdoorsman, he had a lifelong love for hunting and fishing, especially when he was accompanied by those he loved. Moose was a hard working man of great strength who made the most of the moments he had to spend with his sons. He leaves behind a colorful tapestry of memories that will be forever treasured by those whose lives he touched.

The year 1943 was a year that was dominated by our nation’s involvement in WWII as countless servicemen were overseas fighting for the cause of freedom. Back home there was rationing to deal with, which had previously been implemented on goods such as coffee and gasoline, that now grew to include shoes and certain foods including meats, processed goods, and cheese. For the family of Donald and Margaret (Rademacher) Boettger, their attention was focused elsewhere - on the arrival of their son, Gary, on October 10th of that year. Born in St. Johns, Michigan, Gary was the oldest of three boys in his family including his brothers Allen and Dennis. Moose, as he was most often known, was raised on the family farm and since the agricultural industry was struggling during this time, his parents held down jobs in addition to farming. His father worked for Federal Mogul while his mother worked for Saylor-Beall Manufacturing in St. Johns. Moose was a very active “wild” child who was a bit mischievous and always liked having fun. Growing up on a farm, there was always plenty of work to do, too, and Moose had many responsibilities including caring for their pet cow and a couple of horses. He always felt like he got the short end of the stick when it came to chores, however, as he had more responsibilities on the farm than his younger brothers did.

During his younger years, Moose established his strong work ethic, but he played just as hard. He learned to fish and hunt with his father and these became activities that he loved throughout his life. Moose attended Perrin-Palmer School during his elementary years and went on to Rodney B. Wilson High School. Although he didn’t like school, Moose graduated during the early sixties.

It was as a high school student that Moose met the woman who would change the course of his life forever. Her name was Diana Harper and after falling in love, the couple married soon after finishing school in 1963. It wasn’t long before the couple was blessed with the births of two boys, Todd in 1965 and Craig in 1967. Moose was strict with his boys, but it was always out of love for them. He wasn’t able to spend as much time with his boys as they would have liked, but his sons have such special memories of the times they were able to spend with their father. Moose liked taking Todd on fishing trips to Lake Michigan, and his younger son Craig was always too antsy to go along. Even though Moose and Diana divorced in 1985 after 20 years of marriage, he was forever grateful for the family they established together.

Like his father, Moose went to work for Federal Mogul. His work there began when he was 18 and continued until a heart attack in 2000 caused him to retire shortly thereafter. Moose had been a dedicated employee there for over 38 years at the time of his retirement.

While working at Federal Mogul, Moose became acquainted with a co-worker named Cheryl Ryan and they married on September 5, 1986. They shared many of the same interests, most of which were outdoors. You could often find Moose and Cheryl snowmobiling, hunting, or fishing together, especially once his boys were grown.

Later in life, Moose continued to pursue many of his interests. He seemed to mellow out a bit with age and the strict disciplinarian he had been with his sons gave way to a tender and loving grandfather when his family grew to include three grandchildren: Ashleigh, Angela, and Tori. Moose liked spending time with his friends and continued to enjoy hunting and fishing until he was no longer able to tolerate the cold temperatures.

Gary “Moose” Boettger was a strong-willed man who often lived his life according to his own terms. If he had an opinion, you were sure to know it as he was never shy about speaking his mind. Moose had a strong work ethic and remained loyal to his employer for over 38 years before retiring. A doting grandfather, Moose grew to appreciate family in a new and precious way during the sunset of his life. He lived a fulfilling life and was truly at peace when he drew his last breath. A genuine outdoorsman through and through, Moose’s memory will remain forever near and dear to the hearts of those who treasured him. He will be deeply missed.

Gary “Moose” Boettger died peacefully on July 23, 2010. Gary’s family includes his wife, Cheryl; hid sons, Todd (Lisa) Boettger and Craig Boettger both of St. Johns; grandchildren, Ashleigh Boettger, Angela (Mike) Harvell and Tori Rueckert; great- grandchildren, Cadence and Gregory Harvell; brothers, Allen (Jamie) Boettger and Dennis Boettger; as well as two nieces. Gary was preceded in death by his parents. Services will be 11:00 am, Wednesday, July 28 at the Osgood Funeral Home, 104 E. Cass St, St. Johns., with Pastor David Hudgens officiating and burial to follow at Mt. Rest Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, 2-4 and 6-8 pm.