Obituary of Gary Wayne Evilsizor

Gary Evilsizor Obituary Lake Havasu City, Arizona – Gary Wayne Evilsizor, 74, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 1st, 2016 at the Stevens Assisted Living Home in Lake Havasu City. He leaves his daughter, Danielle (Evilsizor) Baca; his son, Derek Evilsizor; his brother Gail Evilsizor; his sister Judie (Evilsizor) Thompson; his two step-children, Dawn (Holliday) Neill and Wendi (Holliday) Redd; Grandchildren Silver Evilsizor, Kennedy and Baylor Baca, Brianna and Caleb and Meagan Neill, Lexi and Zach Byrne, and Hope Redd; Great Granddaughter Faith Grimland; Barbara (Johnson) Miles, his former spouse and the mother of his children; and many other close friends and family. Born in Springfield, Ohio on February 28, 1942, the son of Mary Virginia Scott and Norman Ellsworth Evilsizor, he resided in Springfield for over 26 years. After graduating from Shawnee High School in 1960, he enlisted in the Air Force and served as a helicopter mechanic. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force and while he was employed at Bauer Brothers Co., a local machine shop, he met his first wife, Barbara “Bobbi” (Johnson) Miles – a fellow Springfield, OH resident. After dating for several years they married in March of 1968 and took off for Colorado on their honeymoon. This trip was more than just a honeymoon however, this was a trip to check out their potential new home. As charter members of the “Springfield Ski Club” they felt drawn to the Rocky Mountains giving them reason enough to target Colorado as the place where they would set up their new life. Behind that green Firebird, they proudly towed his self-made matching trailer holding all of their worldly goods - a brave move considering they were both leaving families behind and neither had explored much beyond their neighboring states. In the years that followed Gary became an expert in the repair of office machines and received his Associates Degree in Industrial Maintenance from Red Rocks Community College in the fall of 1978. The majority of his career was as a civilian employee at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado as an Office Machine Repairman. Although he and Bobbi divorced in 1986 their relationship developed into a true friendship near the end of his life where Bobbi is credited for handling all of his affairs in the few years since his health began to decline. This beautiful friendship was a gift for both of them and a source of comfort to Gary’s immediate family and friends. Bruce Miles, Bobbi’s current husband and step-father to Danielle and Derek, was also an amazing friend to Gary and supportive of the help Bobbi was able to lend him in the last years of his life. Valerie “Val" (Holliday) Evilsizor came into Gary’s life in 1990 when they met at their local church singles group. They married in September of 1992 and had 9 carefree years together before receiving the devastating news of Val's Alzheimer’s diagnosis. To make the most of the time they had left, they relocated from Denver to Lake Havasu City in 2003. Val succombed to complications due to Alzheimers in 2006 with Gary serving as her primary caregiver throughout her illness. Val was an amazing wife, mother and step-mother and all who were close to Gary know he was very much looking forward to joining her in Heaven one day. Gary’s faith developed over the years – starting off as a youth group leader at Grace Methodist and Seventh-Day Adventist in Littleton and Aurora in the early 70’s, and progressing through his involvement in other churches in both Denver and Aurora. Upon relocating to Arizona he and Val joined the Community Presbyterian Church in Lake Havasu City. His immediate family and friends are so grateful for the support, friendship and faith his Church home provided over the years. They truly became his second “family” supporting him both through Val’s illness and helping to reinforce his faith through bible study and continuous support up until his passing. Gary was passionate about activity in general - never one to sit still he was constantly “tinkering” either working to build something from scratch through his meticulous wood-working skills, or bringing his beloved Remington typewriters back to perfect working condition. When he wasn’t fixing something he was on the move – playing tennis or racquetball, teaching his kids how to throw a football or hit a softball, skiing, or simply riding bikes along the Highline Canal. Gary loved watching his kids in their activities – rarely missing a tennis or volleyball match for his daughter, and a performance or diving meet for his son. He loved the outdoors as well – from camping and riding motorcycles on the mountain trail with Bobbi and the kids at a young age to sharing countless hikes and their mutual love of the Rocky Mountains with Val. The influence of Gary’s passions are evident today in the lives of his children and even though he was an incredibly hard worker, his memory will serve as a reminder that getting out there and playing is just as important. His family would like to extend a special thank you to Clara Stevens, owner of the Stevens Assisted Living Home for her loving care and support. We also thank Beacon of Hope Hospice for their dignified care in the year and a half leading up to Gary's passing. A celebration of life will be held in Lake Havasu City at a date soon to be determined. Gary’s care is entrusted to the LietzFraze Funeral Home & Crematory (21 Riviera Blvd, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403, 928-855-4949). Those wishing to sign Gary’s guestbook, express condolences or gain more information about where donations in his honor may be made, may do so at http://www.never-gone.com/memorials/garyevilsizor.