Obituary of Merle Peter Gaspers

Merle P. Gaspers, 75, of Evans passed peacefully from this life on November 24, 2021 at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, fortified by the grace of the sacraments and surrounded by his family. He was born on July 5, 1946 to Martin and Regina (Heimann) Gaspers of Lindsay, Nebraska, a small farming community. The youngest of seven children, Merle loved to tell stories about his childhood on the farm, at the center of which was the Catholic Faith and traditional Midwest values. After graduating from Lindsay Holy Family High School in 1964, he entered the seminary for the Missionary Society of St. Columban (Columban Fathers). He graduated from minor seminary with a B.A. in Philosophy and went on to major seminary (theological studies) but eventually discerned that his vocation lay elsewhere. On May 25, 1973, he married Betty Jo Benes and they were blessed with two daughters, Anne and Sarah. They resided in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Merle worked at Gooch’s Feed Mill. His wife passed away in June of 1980. On July 10, 1982, Merle married Linda Schafer, a nurse in Lincoln, and the family welcomed a son, Matthew, two years later. Prior to his son’s birth, Merle completed a second Bachelor’s degree in order to teach, which he did for one year. Being a "jack of all trades,” however, Merle pursued various other job opportunities as they arose — from sales to local delivery driving to convenient store management. In 1991, Merle accepted a teaching position in Colorado, so the family left the Cornhusker State and relocated to the small town of Brush. While there, Merle made his final major career change by getting into truck driving, which he did for most of the next 25 years. The family moved to Greeley in 1994. Eleven years later, Merle and Linda decided to move back to Nebraska, but they didn’t stay long, opting to return to Colorado in 2006 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Merle will be remembered as a small-town farm boy at heart who loved to laugh and make others laugh, play music and sing, and spend quality time with those whom he loved, especially his grandchildren. Throughout his life, he also enjoyed playing and watching a variety of sports, going fishing and target shooting, ballroom dancing with Linda, playing cards, building and fixing things, and helping those in need. He is survived by his wife, Linda Gaspers, of nearly 40 years; three children and their spouses — daughter Anne Gaspers (Todd Anderson) of Denver, daughter Sarah Lawrence (Mike) of San Antonio, TX, and son Matthew Gaspers (Nicole) of Greeley; four grandchildren; three siblings and their spouses; one sister-in-law; and numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, two infant sisters, his first wife, and one brother. Visitation and Rosary will be held at St. Peter Catholic Church in Greeley beginning at 3:30pm on Wednesday, December 8. The funeral Mass will be held the next morning, December 9, at 9:30am (same location), followed by burial at 11am at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Greeley.