Gary Cleveland Thiltgen

Gary Cleveland Thiltgen, 49, of Clinton, Iowa, formerly of DeWitt, Iowa, and Wauconda, Illinois, died Saturday, September 18, 2021.

The family will greet relatives and friends from 9:00 until 11:45 a.m. Thursday, September 23, 2021, at Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt. A Service will follow at 12:00 p.m. in the funeral home, the Rev. Fr. Stephen Page officiating. Interment will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, DeWitt.

Gary was born November, 17, 1971, to Don and Jan (Freiburger) Thiltgen in Dubuque, Iowa. He graduated from Central Community Schools, DeWitt in 1990. Gary served in the U.S. Navy, being stationed in Australia and California. He married Dolores Perez and their union was blessed with two daughters. He began his career in retail at Sears and worked up to a corporate position in Sears Holdings Co. as senior analyst of nationwide inventory.

Gary was an avid sports fan and enjoyed following the Cubs, Bears, and Hawkeyes. He was always sure to get the Cubs game on the radio. He loved live music and attended many concerts, including the Rolling Stones at Soldier Field. He spent many years involved in the Catholic Church, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday School. He participated in a CORE retreat as a teenager at St. Joseph, and loved the Easter reenactment at Transfiguration. Gary loved to cook, he was always sure to get his daughters to try new things before telling them what was in them. He also enjoyed keeping an immaculate yard and garden. He was an amazing Mr. Mom, helping to raise his daughters while their mother was deployed.

Those left to honor his memory are his daughters, Rebecca (fiancé Jordan Steuer) Thiltgen of Dubuque, and Andrea (Jon Dolan) Thiltgen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his father, Don (Peg) Thiltgen of DeWitt; siblings Steve (Misty) Thiltgen of Dawsonville, Georgia, Anna (Vince) Ramirez of Clinton, Christine Zimmer of DeWitt, and Tommy (Mary) Thiltgen of Spencer, Tennessee; step-siblings, Gina (Todd) Ryan of Papillion, Nebraska, Ann (Jeff Mentzer) Butzier of Dubuque, and Jim (Sofia Simmons) Sawvel of McCausland; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Janice Pickens, and his beloved dog, Hawkeye.

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