Wolfgang Garry Gartner

"In a bittersweet moment, another beautiful angel has found their wings and has set off on flight safe into the arms of God and to those gone before them waiting and anticipating their arrival as they make their way to Heaven."

Words cannot even explain the devastating loss that me and my family feel with losing our beloved father who lost his battle with heart disease last night.

My father was born in Berlin, Germany. He had lost his dad at an early age and had to be the father figure for his younger brother and mother at an early age.

He later found his way to America and enlisted in the Army where he moved up the ranks to Major and served in the Vietnam War as a commanding officer in the 10th Special Forces Group. He was awarded the Purple Heart after his A-Team's helicopter got shot down behind enemy lines. He was the only survivor and was able to survive behind enemy lines for days before being extracted.

He was truly larger than life, but he was not easily impressed with accomplishments. Early on this was hard to accept, but now I value that for it continued to drive and motivate me in life. The military allowed my father and his family the opportunity to live abroad in Germany, become bilingual and to see and experience many European countries. Learning to ski in Austria and Switzerland and spending summers in Yugoslavia are my fondest memories. When my father retired rom the military, he decided to move the family to the sunshine state of Seattle, Washington ;) where we have been ever since.

Thank you, so very much dear dad, for all you have done for this family. We have been so truly blessed to have had such a beautiful and caring person such as you. You will be so dearly missed.