Bisenius, Gary
Gary Eugene Bisenius passed away unexpectedly on Monday, October 21, 2013, just three weeks before his 60th birthday. Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, he was the fourth of nine children. Gary had many great stories to share about his early years in this fun, loving family. In 1976, Gary met his soul mate, Meridee, a teacher. They married a year later, saving money that first year to move to Arizona. It was the first of many places they planned to live, but loved it so much they decided to stay. Gary was a highly skilled carpenter when they met, a job he held for 15 years before beginning college. He took night classes at Phoenix College, sometimes falling asleep after working construction all day. Gary later transferred to ASU, where he continued to excel. In 1988, he graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Engineering. After student interning at Honeywell, he was hired as a software engineer in Industrial Automation, a job he held for 27 years. In 1994, with the adoption of his beautiful daughter, Marisa, he achieved his favorite role in life, being a father. One of the wonderful things about working for Honeywell was the flexibility which allowed him to attend all of Marisa's school events. She was the light of his life; he attended every field trip and class party, as well as all her sports and dance events. He was always there for her, whether building a tree house, teaching her to drive, painting the doghouse, or learning to fish. One time, when she was about four, he had to travel for work. Marisa sobbed to him on the phone, "Daddy, I have a hole in my heart. Don't ever go again." He didn't. Gary had so many things he loved -camping, hiking, backpacking, scuba diving, and going to Mexico. Whether camping in the mountains or on the beach in Mexico, he was happiest spending time with family and friends. One of the things we will miss the most about Gary is hearing him sing and play guitar. Blessed with a beautiful voice, he could play anything with strings and any song he had heard just once. He could remember the lyrics to every song. Gary was preceded in death by his dear mother, Rosella Bisenius, and his brother-in-law, Willy Weigand. He is survived by his wife, Meridee; daughter, Marisa; father, Frank; brothers, Bill (Pam); Mark, (Chelle); sisters, Sheryl Chamberlain( Terry); Trish George (Dave); Barb Campbell (Carey); Terry Weigand (Willy); Deb Duus (Kirk); and Lynn Clabaugh (Troy), too many nieces and nephews to list; his faithful dog, Hope; his cat, Thomasina. Gary will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched, but most of all by his wife, daughter, and dog. Family was definitely his priority. Anyone who met him once liked him; those who really knew him loved him. We all have a huge hole in our heart with the loss of Gary. Services will be held on Tuesday, November 12, at 11:00 at Christ Church of the Valley, 7007 W. Happy Valley Road, Peoria. As this is his birthday, we will celebrate his life afterwards at his home. The family is very grateful for all the love, compassion, and generosity shown at this difficult time.
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Published in The Arizona Republic on Nov. 3, 2013
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