Gary Carl Glockzin

1934 - 2025

Gary Carl Glockzin, age 91, passed away peacefully on October 17, 2025, at the Cura Care Center in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Born on August 6, 1934, at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, Gary was the son of Carl and Carol (Greener) Glockzin. He was raised one mile west of Grey Eagle on the southwest corner of Trace Lake, where his lifelong passion for excavation and heavy equipment was ignited by being hired as an equipment operator on a county road that was being built nearby.

A 1952 graduate of Grey Eagle High School, Gary served as a class officer, contributed to the Eagle and Aquila school publications, and excelled in sports. He started on the varsity football and basketball team as a freshman - earning captain status on the football team as a junior. He also played baseball for the town team. Athletics were a defining part of his early identity. He briefly attended Antioch College in Ohio, where his carefree nature led to a memorable

piano-related incident on the second floor of the dorm that ended his collegiate studies - a story emblematic of the free spirit he carried throughout his life.

In 1954, Gary enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a topographic surveyor in Okinawa during the Korean War era. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and later served as Commander of American Legion Post 258 in Alpine, California - remaining a proud veteran and patriot throughout his life.

His working life was as diverse as it was adventurous. Gary held jobs as a heavy equipment operator traveling to places like Arizona, Montana, California, and even Venezuela. It was at the latter that he spent five years mining gold deep in the Amazon Rain Forest - well before such operations became popularized.

Between stints with larger companies, a third-generation entrepreneur, Gary ran his own excavating businesses in Todd County, MN, and later in San Diego County, CA. He also partnered early in life with his father Charlie in automobile sales and service in Grey Eagle, operating out of what is now known as the Junction - a building constructed by Gary's grandfather, L.P. Greener.

A pioneer in the snowmobile world, Gary established a Moto-Ski dealership in Grey Eagle and was active in snowmobile racing, including participating in several Winnipeg to St. Paul 500 races. He was also instrumental in the startup of the ready-mix plant in Swanville and ventured into hospitality, owning a bar in Las Vegas outfitted with pool tables and slot machines.

Gary is survived by his sons, Gary A. (Janice nee Schwanke) Glockzin of San Diego, CA, and Randy M. Glockzin of Grey Eagle, MN; grandson Gary A. Glockzin, Jr. of San Diego, CA; and granddaughter Kimberly M. Glockzin (Nicholas Fortin) of Ramona, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Carolyn Jackson, and former spouse Shirley (Little) Glockzin.

A church service will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 11:00 AM with visitation beginning one hour before at St. John's Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle, officiated by Pastor Michael Bitz. Interment will follow at Lakeview Cemetery in Grey Eagle. A Celebration of Life will take place the same day from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Double R Saloon.

Arrangements have been made by the Minnesota Cremation Society. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Gary's honor to the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) to support the fight against financial exploitation of elders.

"A life well-lived, full of adventure and spirit."