Gary Wetterberg
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Dr. Gary Bernard Wetterberg, PhD, born June 6, 1943, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2020, early in the morning, as the first snow of the season was falling in western Pennsylvania. Gary B. Wetterberg, a beautiful soul, was lost to Lewy Body Dementia. He is survived by his loving wife, Page Manning Wetterberg; Children (all named after National Parks), Heidi- Hakone (Andrej) Jovanavic, Cristi- Cara Wetterberg, Sean- Sareak Wetterberg, and Tammy- Tayrona (Martin) Wonnacott; brother, Richard (Dick) Wetterberg; step children, Larry (Joy) Alan Manning Jr. and Von Edward (Molly) Manning. He is also survived by grandchildren, Nathan Seth Biggs, Anastasia, Eva and Shane Jovonavic, and Violet May Wonnacott. Among many other things, Gary was a deeply loved husband, loving father, wonderful grandfather, brother and uncle. Gary was an explorer of Brazil's Amazon region, a National Park creator, environmental activist, round-the-world hitchhiker and trans-Siberian railroad-riding global traveler. As a dedicated life-long public servant, Gary was trilingual and one of the very first Peace Corps Volunteers. Following his retirement from a career in public service with the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service and other federal agencies, he actively volunteered in his community through a variety of local service organizations. As an avid skier, the thirteen inches of soft snow that fell on his final day was symbolic of a man who loved the outdoors and spent his winters skiing the nearby slopes. Gary was a 1961 graduate Boulder High School, Boulder, CO. He received a Bachelor of Science in Forest Recreation from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO in 1966, as well as, Masters of Science in Forestry from Colorado State, Fort Colins, CO in 1967 He Joined the Peace Corps and served in Chile from 1967 to 1969 Gary then went on to receive a 2nd Masters of Science in Forestry Resources and PhD of Philosophy in Forestry from University of Washington, Seattle, WA in 1974. Friends and family will be received Saturday December 5, 2020 at 10 am until the time of service at 12 pm at MILLER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY, 555 Tayman Ave. Somerset PA, 15501. Family requests memorial contributions be directed to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Rd. S.W., Lilburn, Georgia 30047 or the Alzheimer's Foundation, 225 North Michigan Ave. FL 17, Chicago IL, 60601.