Gary Eugene Lebeck
November 27, 1940 — May 9, 2022
Gary Eugene Lebeck was born to Arnold and Helen (Sieck) Lebeck on November 27th, 1940 in Harlan, IA. He graduated from Walnut High School in 1959. He excelled in multiple sports, played the accordion, participated in 4H, and sang in the choir. He graduated in 1963 from Dana College in Blaire, NE, with a BA in Education. While there, Gary played basketball and baseball and was crowned the Mayfest King during his senior year. He attended graduate school at Gannon University in Erie, PA and worked at Mac-Erie Manufacturing. He also attended graduate school at The University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA for English and Speech. He taught High School English and Speech, directed several high school plays, and coached multiple high school sports at Walnut, Dunlap, Griswold, Perry and Carlisle. After he moved to Grinnell, IA in 1978, he worked in car sales and eventually expanded his career as an insurance agent. While working for Kansas City Life, he was awarded the “Top Hatter’s Award” for top 20 insurance agents in the country.
Gary married Judy Swenson on August 21, 1964 in Erie, PA. Together they had 5 children; Scott Arnold, Mark Gordon, Heidi Marie, Kirk Matthew, and Kristin Ann. Gary always encouraged his children to work hard in sports, school, and various activities. He inspired his children to be kind, caring, and inclusive of others. He was often found in the sports stands using funny sayings like “hubba hubba, shoot that aggot, powder river, big right hander, and rock and fire” to name a few.
Gary was baptized and confirmed, and later participated in Cursillo – a faith-based fellowship in the late 1970s, where he experienced a renewal and strengthening of his faith. He attended Peace Church for many years throughout his life. Gary recently shared that his two favorite passages from the Bible were John 3:16 and Psalm 23.
He enjoyed sports and was a huge fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs baseball. Gary cherished his 12 grandchildren and 8 nieces and nephews. One of his favorite activities in later years was taking his grandsons to Wrigley Field each August.
Gary went to his heavenly home on May 9th, 2022. He will be remembered for his love of his children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, the Cubs and the Hawkeyes, and his beautiful singing voice. He is preceded in death by his son Mark Lebeck; his mother Helen Lebeck; his father Arnold Lebeck; and his brother, Lynn Darwin Lebeck, and most recently, his brother-in-law Dan Knudsen. He is survived by his sons, Scott and his wife Kim of Corallville, IA, and Kirk and his wife Krista of Asbury, IA, and his daughters Heidi and her husband Ed Elliott of Rochester, MN, and Kristin and her husband Ross Polking of Omaha, NE, and his daughter-in-law Christy Lebeck of Eldridge, IA; by his 12 grandchildren; Jake Elliott, Emma Elliott, Caleb Polking, Hayden Lebeck, Jenna Polking, Max Elliott, Trevor Lebeck, Kaitlyn Polking, Camille Lebeck, Avery Lebeck, Brynlee Polking, and Eli Lebeck; and his sisters, Phyllis (Leroy) Larsen of Harlan, IA and Lorie Knudsen of Harlan, IA and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Gary married Judy Swenson on August 21, 1964 in Erie, PA. Together they had 5 children; Scott Arnold, Mark Gordon, Heidi Marie, Kirk Matthew, and Kristin Ann. Gary always encouraged his children to work hard in sports, school, and various activities. He inspired his children to be kind, caring, and inclusive of others. He was often found in the sports stands using funny sayings like “hubba hubba, shoot that aggot, powder river, big right hander, and rock and fire” to name a few.
Gary was baptized and confirmed, and later participated in Cursillo – a faith-based fellowship in the late 1970s, where he experienced a renewal and strengthening of his faith. He attended Peace Church for many years throughout his life. Gary recently shared that his two favorite passages from the Bible were John 3:16 and Psalm 23.
He enjoyed sports and was a huge fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs baseball. Gary cherished his 12 grandchildren and 8 nieces and nephews. One of his favorite activities in later years was taking his grandsons to Wrigley Field each August.
Gary went to his heavenly home on May 9th, 2022. He will be remembered for his love of his children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, the Cubs and the Hawkeyes, and his beautiful singing voice. He is preceded in death by his son Mark Lebeck; his mother Helen Lebeck; his father Arnold Lebeck; and his brother, Lynn Darwin Lebeck, and most recently, his brother-in-law Dan Knudsen. He is survived by his sons, Scott and his wife Kim of Corallville, IA, and Kirk and his wife Krista of Asbury, IA, and his daughters Heidi and her husband Ed Elliott of Rochester, MN, and Kristin and her husband Ross Polking of Omaha, NE, and his daughter-in-law Christy Lebeck of Eldridge, IA; by his 12 grandchildren; Jake Elliott, Emma Elliott, Caleb Polking, Hayden Lebeck, Jenna Polking, Max Elliott, Trevor Lebeck, Kaitlyn Polking, Camille Lebeck, Avery Lebeck, Brynlee Polking, and Eli Lebeck; and his sisters, Phyllis (Leroy) Larsen of Harlan, IA and Lorie Knudsen of Harlan, IA and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
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