Gary Lee Glawe, 74, of Cedar Falls, Iowa died on December 27, 2022 of complications from Covid 19. He was on
the island of Fiji while on a cruise to Australia at the time of his death. Gary was born September 28, 1948 to
LeRoy and Ilo (Beck) Glawe in Edgewood, IA. He was baptized and confirmed at Hope Lutheran Church,
Littleport, IA. Gary graduated from Edgewood-Colesburg High School in May of 1966. He was active in FFA,
holding several offices and earned the Iowa State FFA Farmer Degree. He was president of his senior class. Gary
attended Wartburg College for one year before transferring to Iowa State University where he received his
Bachelor’s Degree in 1970, and his Master’s Degree in 1974, both in Agricultural Education.
While growing up, he helped with farm chores, milking cows, baling hay, and growing crops. He worked a few
summers as a shop assistant at Ruan Transport in Dubuque. He taught Vocational Agriculture in Bennett from
1970-1972, and at Eldora and New Providence from 1972-1977. In 1977 he changed careers becoming an
investment and commodity broker with A.G. Edwards and Sons in Waterloo, Iowa. In 1990, he started his own
brokerage firm, Glawe Investment Services, as an independent broker and did financial brokerage until 2015, and
commodity brokerage until 2019.
June 29, 1974 he married Louise Bancroft. To this union 2 children were born. They divorced in 2001. He married
Mary Susan Wurtz on May 30, 2004.
Gary had a wide variety of interests. Family time was precious to him. He loved sports and participated in
intramural football, volleyball, badminton, tennis, and bowling while in college. He played fast pitch, modified, and
slow-pitch softball until he was nearly 60. He enjoyed golf and running. He completed a full 26.2 mile marathon at
age 65, and also ran 2 half marathons when he was 64 and 66. Injuries in his late 60's limited his ability to continue.
Gary loved to play cards from childhood throughout his life. Hearts, Pinochle, 500, euchre, and small stakes poker,
usually Texas hold’em, but also 7 card stud, and Omaha hold’em were some of his favorites. He played in the
World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in 2019. Gary was an avid coin collector most of his life, culminating complete
or nearly complete series sets of most demonstrations going back to the early 1800's and a few coins from the
1700's. He enjoyed dancing. His interest in travel started with an ISU travel course in 1970 that visited 14 European
countries including some behind the Iron Curtain. Later traveling with Louise and Sue he visited 5 continents and
over 40 countries.
Gary is survived by his wife, Susan, his daughter, Katherine (Tom) Lindsay, Minneapolis, MN. his son, Jonathan
(Rebecca Hunter) Glawe, Ann Arbor, MI., and 4 granddaughters: Maeve Lindsay, Amara, Avery, and Adalynn
Glawe, two sisters, Linda (Larry) Friedlein, Farmersburg, and Brenda Saunders of Manchester He is also survived
by 3 nieces, 1 nephew, an uncle and aunt and 12 cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents,
a brother in law, Craig Saunders and several aunts and uncles. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Littleport, IA.
A Celebration of Life for Gary Lee Glawe 74, of Cedar Falls, formerly of Edgewood, will be held on
Saturday May 27, at the Edgewood Event Center. Visitation for Gary Glawe will be from 10 to 11 am,
with the Celebration of Life service at 11. Burial will be at Union Cemetery, Littleport.
