Gary V. Rothmeyer

Dec. 29, 1946 - July 11, 2020

OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — Gary V. Rothmeyer, 73, passed away July 11, 2020, at Methodist Hospital in Olive Branch, Miss. A service for the family was at Coleman Funeral Home. Interment will take place at a later date at West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, of Queen of Peace Catholic Church, will officiate.

Gary was born Dec. 29, 1946, in McCook, Neb., to the late Alvin R. Rothmeyer and Mary (Sughroue) Rothmeyer. He grew up in McCook and attended St. Patrick’s Catholic School through the ninth grade, and then to McCook High School where he graduated in 1964. He attended McCook Community College and completed his studies at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1969 with a bachelor of science in business administration. Gary was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 as a medic and was honorably discharged in 1972 as an E5 earning a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and numerous other medals for his injuries he received while serving his country.

Mr. Rothmeyer was married on Aug. 23, 1975, to Marsha Miller in McCook and to this union they had two children, Joylynn and Darren.

Gary was elected to the McCook City Council and later mayor of McCook and served until 1986, when he moved his family to Aurora, Colo.

He was married on May 23, 2003, to Connie (Houghtelling) Shelly in Aurora. In 2009, when Gary retired, they moved to Indianola, Neb., where they lived until 2013 and made the decision to move to Grand Island to be closer to the VA Clinic. As his health deteriorated they made the decision to move to Mississippi where family could help with his care.

Gary was a Nebraska and Atlanta Braves fan, a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 11363, and the American Legion Post 344 until the move was made to Mississippi.

Mr. Rothmeyer was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Lorene Phillips; and brothers-in-law, John Jones, Dean Lawson and Ted Phillips.

Survivors include his wife, Connie; children Joylynn Rothmeyer of Aurora and Darren (Lili) of Big Sky, Mont.; step-children, Melanie (Isaiah) Upton and Stephanie Shelly, both of Olive Branch; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are three brothers, Al (friend, Anne), of McCook, Wayne (Judy) of Las Vegas, Nev., Larry (Saundra), of Leavenworth, Kan.; and two sisters, Dolores Lawson of Hayes Center, Neb., and Anne Jones of Grand Island, Neb.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Resurrection Knights of Columbus at 1608 Piper Street, Grand Island, NE 68803.