Gary Allen Bachtle, 80, died peacefully Saturday, March 24, 2018, at Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood.

A celebration of his life will be at 11 a.m. April 3 at First Lutheran Church, 309 N. Ninth St. in Northwood. The Rev. Judy Converse will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S. in Northwood. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Those wishing to give a memorial in his memory may wish to consider memorial contributions to First Lutheran Church general fund or to Relay for Life.

Gary Allen Bachtle was born Aug. 29, 1937, in Des Moines, the son of Edgar and Audres (Waage) Bachtle. In 1944, the family moved to Albert Lea from Seattle. Gary attended school in Albert Lea, then began working at Wilson & Co./Farmstead Foods, where he worked for 35 years. He was an active member of United Food and Commercial Workers International.

He was united in marriage to Marliss (Molly) Halvorson on Oct. 26, 1957, at First Shellrock Lutheran Church in Northwood. They lived in Albert Lea and Silver Lake before moving with their family to Northwood, where they have lived for 42 years. Gary enjoyed Northwood — especially time with his coffee buddies at Short Stop/North Star almost every morning and watching his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s sports, school and church activities. He was happiest spending time with family and friends.

He was a faithful member of First Lutheran Church in Northwood.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Molly, of Northwood; six children, Jeff (Michele) Bachtle of Alpharetta, Georgia, Scott (Becky) Bachtle of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Cindy (Jim) Williamson, Mary Bachtle, Troy (Dawn) Bachtle and Jason (Jodie) Bachtle, all of Northwood; 13 grandchildren, Jesse and John, Jeremy (Vanessa) and Brandon, Josh (Samantha) and Jenny, Mandy, Brooke (Adam), Michael (Kaitlyn) and Brett, and Tyler, (Kellie), Ali (Derek) and Addy; 11 great-grandchildren with four more on the way; sister, Darlene Anderson, of Blue Earth; brother, Lanny (Joan) Bachtle, of Shawnee, Kansas; sister-in-law, Max Bachtle, of Albert Lea; brothers and sisters-in-law Ron and Esther Halvorson, Bud and Arlyce Havorson, Betty and Duane Peterson and Phyllis Jacobs; many nieces and nephews; and many extended family members and friends.

Gary was preceded in death by his grandparents; father, Edgar Bachtle; his mother and her husband, Audres, and Orville Tufte; brother, Arlie Bachtle; infant brother, Ronald; sister, Janis, and husband, Steve Reeder; and brothers-in-law Arnie Anderson and John Jacobs.

Blessed be his memory. He will be missed.