Obituary of Gary Ames

Gary Phillip Ames (78) of Duluth, MN passed away on Sunday, July 14, 2019. 

He was born on July 13, 1941 to Russell K. Sr. & Emma B. Ames in Wales, MN.

Gary accepted Christ as his Savior in childhood, and remained in active Christian ministry, he was a Sunday school teacher at Westminster Presbyterian Church, his second family.

As a sophomore he met the love of his life Kathy at Denfeld High School, and they graduated in 1959; Gary earned a BS in Elementary Education (UMD) in 1964, and married Kathy that summer.  For 33 years, his passion was teaching 6^th graders at Piedmont Elementary. He retired in 1996.

During dad's wonderful life, Gary's carpentry labors produced much fruit: tree forts & sheds;a hydrologic log splitter; a kitchen cabinet remodel; a complete home window upgrade; a custom heated garage wood shop with a lathe that produced dozens of jumbo Rapalla replica fishing lures.  He fabricated/welded a wood stove & custom utility trailer.  Gary's singing, whistling & guitar/banjo/ukulele talents were widely known, preferring Gospel bluegrass music.  He loved to catch & eat walleyes, and Big Winnie, Island & Otter Lakes were no stranger to Gary's 13' & 18' Lund.  He also invented the high-tech Porta-Skore portable digital scoring system for his classroom use.

Gary was preceded in death by his beloved wife Kathy, his brothers Al, Kenny & Franklin Ames and sisters, Jeanne Jensen & Marilyn Ames and his parents. 

He will be greatly missed by his children, Shari Nelson of Superior,  & Jeff (Cindy) Ames of Duluth; grandchildren Tyler, Erin, Lindsay, & Ethan Ames; & 2 great grand children on the way, all of Duluth; brother Steve Ames of  Mpls; brother-in-law Milton (Kay) Hill of Duluth; sister-in-law Sharon Frantz (Al) of Crystal, MN & her children Marcy (Kevin) Martin of Fridley & Mark Helps of  Robbinsdale, MN as well as many nieces, nephews, & great nieces & nephews.

Visitation: 11:00 until the 12:00 Celebration of Life service, with a 1:00  luncheon all on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 9030 Beaudry Street, Duluth. Memorials may be sent to the church.  Please share any memories, pictures or words of support for the family at Kathy & Gary Ames' Facebook page.  Arrangements by Bell Brothers Jarvi Dowd Funeral Home.