Gary Tromblee

1951 - 2023

Gary Tromblee, a gentle soul, left us on a beautiful afternoon after a long battle recovering from what should have been a simple surgery. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Tromblee; his siblings Tom, Mona, Dewey, and Joe; his son Bobby; and many other family and friends who will miss him terribly. He joins his mother, father, and sister Diane in rest; we are comforted they are reunited and at peace together.

Born in Minnesota, Gary moved with his parents, brother, and sister to California where they settled in Scotts Valley. Gary attended local schools in Scotts Valley and Soquel High, where he was an exceptional athlete, excelling in track and football (go Knights!). He held a long jump record at Soquel High for years, and as a 135 lb running back, led the Knights under Dewey Tomkins and Randy Peck. His love of sports continued later into life as a die hard 49ers and SF Giants fan.

Gary got married young and started a family, having a son, Bobby, in the early 1970's. An unexpected bout with Hodgkin's disease broke his family apart and left Gary devastated. After a tough period dealing with the fallout, he found a spiritual pathway to help cope. He was a dedicated meditator for 50 years, following Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to many parts of the country.

He finally settled back in Scotts Valley and worked various jobs including sales (remember Amway?), landscaping, and watch and repair businesses, before finding a love for gems and jewelry-he and his sister Diane even started a gemology business in Calistoga which they ran together for a number of years.

In 1982, Gary married Nancy Schlesinger and for the next 40 years they had fun with family and friends. Gary supported Nancy's career as a substitute teacher and speech language specialist by always being there for her in whatever way she needed. He has always been supportive, devotedly taking care of family members as they grew older in age. His care extended beyond those he knew, too-ever an empath, he would send money in support of any cause or disaster that impacted him emotionally. He always put others first.

Though Gary had a fulfilling life filled with special interests, meditation, and travel, his health has been a consistent struggle. Gary was one of the first patients at Stanford to receive Cobalt radiation treatment for cancer, which led to a compromised immune system his entire life. He spent time in Hawaii healing from his cancer, and the islands held a special place in his heart.

Gary meditated and fought hard for his health in the face of struggle to the very end. He will be remembered by all who knew him as gentle, kind, and committed to those he loved.

Friends and family are welcome to gather in remembrance of Gary on Saturday, October 28, 2023. Details are in the Facebook event "Celebration of Life for Gary Tromblee." Please contact Tom Tromblee for details.