Gary Alex Kocurek

Gary Alex Kocurek obituary, Fayetteville, TX

Gary Alex Kocurek

Gary Kocurek Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Koenig-Belvill Funeral Home & Cremations - La Grange on Jun. 19, 2024.

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Gary Alex Kocurek, 71, passed away suddenly on June 5, 2024 from injuries sustained in an unfortunate bicycle accident near Dubina, Texas. Gary was a complex personality, a non-stoppable thinker and doer. He was highly intelligent yet down to earth, hardworking and conscientious, thoughtful and caring and supportive, had a dry and sometimes bizarre sense of humor, was fascinated with history and weather, loved animals, and stood up for what was right. He had an artistic side that came out in unexpected ways – faux finishes and stenciling on walls he plastered himself, appreciating the lyrics of songs and the voices that carried them, seeing beauty and structure in clouds, marveling at the colors and forms of native flora, and seeing beyond centuries-old architecture to the ancient lives of its former inhabitants. He wrote beautifully and succinctly, whether it was a simple note or a complex research paper.
Gary was born on August 30, 1952 to Elick Kocurek and Lillie Knesek, and was the younger brother of big sister, Bernice. He was a quiet child but always observing, exploring, and collecting. At age six, he was featured in the Houston Chronicle as a budding archeologist, looking very scholarly surrounded by numerous artifacts he had collected. That interest eventually transitioned to geology as he earned his undergraduate and master's degrees in geology at the University of Houston in 1975 and 1977, respectively.
Gary was a descendant of Czech immigrants to Texas from the mid-1800s. Up until Gary's generation, his ancestors including his parents spoke fluent Czech. Much to his dismay, his parents did not pass along the gift of the Czech language, but Gary sought to rectify the lack by enrolling in Czech language class at the University of Houston. It was in Czech class that he met his future wife, Dianna Stalinsky, who came from similar Czech/Polish heritage. Several days after marrying on January 7, 1978, they moved to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue graduate degrees. By the grace of God (and insulated parkas), they survived the Wisconsin winters and Gary received his Ph.D. in geology in 1980.
Gary joined the geology faculty at the University of Texas in Austin in 1980, during which time he and Dianna lived north of town in Round Rock. His areas of expertise were sedimentology, geomorphology and stratigraphy of aeolian systems, fluid flow and grain transport, bedform dynamics and pattern evolution of dune fields, and the stratigraphic record of aeolian and related systems on Earth and Mars. His work took him to far-flung places such as Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Ethiopia, Oman, and yes, even the Czech Republic. There were more than a few interesting episodes. Once, a French colleague who was to pick him up at the Mali airport and didn't know what he looked like (way before cell phones), picked up the wrong person, leaving Gary stranded for several hours amidst beggars and pickpockets in the airport. Another time on a trip to West Africa, his luggage did not make it and he had to do field work in native Arab garb clambering up and down sand dunes. Or the time he was chased and stung by wild bees, later having to dig them out of his ears.
Both colleagues and graduate students alike remember Gary for his supportive yet laidback approach to mentoring, his physical endurance in field work, his blunt yet insightful opinions, his work ethic and conscientiousness, and his aplomb and sense of humor under duress.
Tiring of the big city, Gary and Dianna moved in 2006 from Round Rock to the rural countryside near Weimar, Texas (the farm). Gary continued to commute several days a week to UT until his retirement in 2017 as Professor Emeritus, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences.
Gary spent his time on the farm split between continued geological research projects and transforming the 71-acre farm property from scruffy hayfield and choked woodlands to native prairie and oak savanna. In 2020, along with four friends (Mark and Cheryl Brown, Rory and Virginia Johnston), Gary and Dianna started the Fayette Prairie Chapter under the umbrella of the statewide Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT). More recently, they developed the Smaller Acreage Restoration Program (SARP) in the Fayette Prairie Chapter to support projects on areas less than 25-acres. Gary spent many hours visiting landowners interested in prairie restoration to discuss how NPAT/SARP could support their efforts. With collaboration from NPAT, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), The Nature Conservancy, and too many other organizations to name, the Kocureks were able to greatly advance much closer to their restoration goal. Spring on the property can be a glorious profusion of wildflowers, grasses, and butterflies. In 2023, the Kocurek property received the TPWD Lone Star Land Steward Award for the Blackland Prairie ecoregion.
Gary never gave up his quest to learn Czech despite the difficult pronunciation and grammar. He did extensive research on his ancestors going back several centuries as well as on the migration of peoples throughout history to the present day Czech Republic. When his faculty advisor in Madison once asked Gary how one could possibly do genealogy in the Balkan region with all the complex invasions and assimilations, his reply was classic Gary wit: "What could be more simple than black slaves taken by Romans to Dacia, thereupon abandoned as the Legions withdrew under barbarian pressure, only to flee into nomadic shepherddom in the Carpathians, with perhaps a brief interlude of fighting with that great prince, Vlad, only to flee again because of Turkish invasions into Moravia, to fight the Hapsburgs, lose, endure two centuries of the most oppressive serfdom in Europe, then flee to Texas after the Revolution of 1848? Nothing like a couple of thousands of years of slavery, fleeing, and serfdom."
Gary is survived by his wife, Dianna, sister Bernice King (husband Dennis), nephews Eric Huysman (children Lincoln and Lily) and Peter Carrico (wife Elizabeth; children Jacob, Sydney, and Zoey), and numerous cousins. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Elick and Lillie Kocurek.
Suggested remembrances of Gary would be a donation to the Native Prairies Association of Texas (https://texasprairie.org) or charity of your choice, or a simple act of kindness to someone in need.
Funeral arrangements were made by Koenig Belvill in La Grange, Texas.
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Sign Gary Kocurek's Guest Book

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February 11, 2025

Bill Woods posted to the memorial.

September 6, 2024

Tim Diggs planted trees.

July 31, 2024

Edwin Kocurek posted to the memorial.

6 Entries

Bill Woods

February 11, 2025

I was shocked to read of Gary's sudden passing! It was my genuine pleasure to work with Gary, both as a colleague and as his assistant when he was Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences. Gary was sincere in his relationships with the Staff and faculty and was a good friend. What a loss. My sincere condolences to his wife and family.

Group of 10 Memorial Trees

Tim Diggs

Planted Trees

Edwin Kocurek

July 31, 2024

Gary 's research in the present Czech Republic helped me solve many brick walls in my genealogy.
I will miss our visits and will always remember him as a generous and caring person.

Michael Sweet

July 26, 2024

When we were both younger I worked with Gary as one of his students at the University of Texas. I certainly can attest to his keen mind and sharp wit. More recently my wife and I also enjoyed sharing time with he and Diane talking about native plants and Texas history. He was a unique and fascinating person. We will miss him.

Mike and Lily Sweet

Group of 10 Memorial Trees

Libby Stern

Planted Trees

Meg Inglis

June 19, 2024

A few years ago, I was able to visit Gary and Dianna's farm to see their restoration project in progress and hear a presentation. And the Fayette Prairie NPAT chapter had so many informative online meetings and in-person field trips! Gosh - so sorry for the untimely loss. Meg Inglis

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Koenig-Belvill Funeral Home & Cremations - La Grange

208 W Pearl St, La Grange, TX 78945

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Sign Gary Kocurek's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

February 11, 2025

Bill Woods posted to the memorial.

September 6, 2024

Tim Diggs planted trees.

July 31, 2024

Edwin Kocurek posted to the memorial.