Gregory VanGaver
February 19, 1952 - January 13, 2014
Obituary
Gregory (Greg) VanGaver, 61, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, January 13, 2014. He was born in Seattle, Washington on February 19, 1952 to parents Francis and Marilyn (Finn) Van Gaver. He married Katherine (Kate) Spiers on August 19, 1972. Greg is survived by his loving wife and companion, Kate, daughter Katherine Keenan VanGaver Bell, son Gregory VanGaver (Krista), and four granddaughters Sophia, Camilla, Francesca and Harper. He also leaves behind his six siblings, Jeff, Pam Bianchi, Steve, Melanie Young, Debbie Hobart and Kevin. He cherished all of them and their families.
Greg loved being with his family, growing dahlias at his cabin on Hood Canal, hosting Wiley Weekend with the Spiers, running his business, VanWild, playing tennis, and spending time with his friends, old and new. He will be sorely missed.
The funeral will be held 11:00 am, Thursday, January 23, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 732 18th Avenue East, Seattle, 98112.
Deepest sympathies. Knew Greg from fast pitch and going
to lunch with him in the 80s and 90s when their business was in Georgetown. Again sorry for your loss.
While reading the paper this morning and glancing thru I saw a familiar, kind, and handsome face. My first thought was that I knew that person, my second thought was it had to be a mistake. Greg and his company were wonderful to work with.
My heart goes out to his family and friends. He was a kind spirit that always talked of his family with love . I am so sorry for your loss.
Kelly King-Jenkins
Please accept my sincere condolences to Greg’s entire family, especially Kate.
Deepest sympathy to the VanGaver family. Could not believe Greg had passed. I will always remember him as the sweet little boy that I baby sat so many years ago.
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Greg’s death has come as a complete shock. A nicer man and a better team mate I have never met. My deepest condolences to Kate and family.
wow, what a loss, what a guy!!
genuinly enjoyed knowing greg and people would do well to be like him! i always considered him to be a true friend that i could talk to.
will miss him dearly!!!
rex
Our prayers to Kate and the family. Greg was a great guy; friendly, thoughtful, and family-oriented. God Bless him. We are privileged to be part of the Van Gaver family and able to experience their boisterous gatherings.
My deepest sympathies to Greg’s family. A great guy, good friend, baseball teammate and competitor. We played baseball together, back in the day, including a Summer All Star team that played in the 1969 Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, New Mexico, and we competed in college baseball, he was a fierce competitor. A wonderful sense of humor, always smiling, very kind and considerate, he will be missed.
Some of the best days of my life were spent with Coach VanGaver at soccer camp in Belfair State Park and his Cabin He had a great love for his team and his coaching making us top contenders in outdoor and indoor leagues. My deepest condolences to Kate, Greg & Keenan.
Sincerely, David Edwards
God Bless the entire VanGaver Family, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Please accept our condolences to the Van Gaver family. Our thoughts are with you.
He will be missed. My deepest condolences to Kate, Keenan &Greg,
To Kate & Keenan and all the family & relatives of Greg:
Please accept my most heartfelt sympathies for your loss.
I share your grief in this time of bereavement with deepest sympathy and condolence.Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that you are very close in my thoughts and prayers.
Just heard the very sad news by way of Janet Johnson then Rose Hendricks. Some of our best years in Seattle were the early years when we all lived in Des Moines and all of the kids were growing up.
We will keep your family in our prayers.
Greg was a friend and great teammate we feel blessed to have known him. Our prayers and love.
Jim and Kathy
You are in our thoughts and prayers. We are so very sorry
Dear Kate and family, Sending you my heartfelt condolences with prayers for peace and healing.
To the VanGaver Family,
So sorry to hear about the passing of Greg. You are in my prayers and my thoughts.
So sorry to hear of Greg’s passing. God bless the whole VanGaver family during this tough time.
Dave Bolf
(Grew up on Beacon Hill)
Kate, Keenan, & Gregory,
All our best wishes to you and the rest of your family in this trying time. Greg was truly one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.
Dave (friend and neighbor in Des Moines for 20 years)
Dear Kate and family,
We saw the terrible news at Facebook. It was a shock.We always remember our stay with you in Seattle Hood Canal, Paris and Belguim.We had such a good time together.Greg was such a nice man. It is so wrong that he passed away so young.
We wish Kate and family mutch strenght to bear this great loss. We share your sorrow.
Chris Martine Steven Vicky Pieter and Griet
there are no words at this time … everyone wants to help, wants to make it better. Just know that I along with anyone else just wants to let you know we are thinking of you Kate, and your entire family.
I just learned from a colleague of Greg’s passing today. I am stunned, sad…I don’t really know what.
All my love…..DC
Just learned of Greg;s passing. It is such a shock to me. We grew up together at St. George’s school. I played soccer with him and knew his family well. such a great sense of humor and a good person. I hadn’t seen him in over 20 years. I only had good memories of Greg. Sorry that there weren’t more years in his life. My sincerest sorrow for your family.
Tom Zmiarovich