Bernard G Tegtmeyer

Gary was a cherished husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he will be deeply missed.\nGary was born in North Star, Ohio on March 23, 1940, to Bernard and LaVaun Tegtmeyer. Around 1952, his family moved to Greenville, Ohio where Gary would meet his best friend, Mike Baker. Gary didn't know that shortly after their 1958 high school graduation, Mike and his girlfriend, Charlene, would introduce him to the love of his life, Helen (Kolb). Helen and Gary would marry on January 7, 1960, and enjoyed 66 years together. In high school Gary played football. After high school Gary joined the Navy with Mike, and they spent four years serving their country. Gary, Helen, Mike and Charlene Baker would remain life-long friends. \nAfter leaving the Navy, Gary settled into a quiet life with Helen in Ansonia, Ohio where they would own a small farm and raise three daughters. Gary was a hard and dedicated worker. He worked at Sheller Globe and later at Honda Corporation focusing on maintenance and upkeep of the critical machinery. Gary also furthered his education by attending Ivy Tech. For a time, Gary also built fences with his friend John Flory. Gary taught his daughters the importance of hard work, ethics and adhering to high standards. He enjoyed playing card games like Euchre, tinkering around with machines, raising cows and sheep and working to make a better life for his family. Gary was an avid Cincinnati Reds and Bengals fan, and later in life became an Ohio State Buckeye fan. Gary enjoyed giving advice such as "Drive careful and look both ways". He always hugged his loved ones tight and was sure to tell them how much he loved them. In 2013, Helen and Gary decided to move to Phoenix, Arizona to be with two of their daughters and live out their golden years. \nGary is survived by the love of his life, Helen Tegtmeyer of Phoenix, Arizona; his daughters Christine Kessler (Don) of Dayton, Ohio; Tina Tegtmeyer of Phoenix, Arizona; Pamela Packman (David) of Desert Hills, Arizona. His two grandchildren Greg Kessler (Jenny) and Sara Roberson (Eric) both of Lebanon, Ohio and his five great grandchildren, Emilie and Peyton Kessler, Evan, Eli and Molly Roberson. His older sister Janet Pearson (Jim) and younger brother Tod Tegtmeyer, both of Greenville, Ohio. Kathy Cline of Rossburg, Ohio who was like a daughter to him and was an important part of his life. \nGary is preceded in death by his parents LaVaun (1953) and Bernard (1969) Tegtmeyer, his stepmother Mary Tegtmeyer (1999), his older sisters Toletha Holdeman (1989), Wavelene Hughes (2001), Nina Hayes (2004) and his best friend Mike Baker (2014). \nIn lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bernard's memory to American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association or Veterans Association of America.