September 1, 1940 - June 5, 2017

Gary L. Burkart, 76, of Shell Lake died peacefully on Monday, June 5, 2017 at Shell Lake Healthcare Center after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was born September 1, 1940 in Billings, MT to Ben and Laura (Edgmond) Burkart. He graduated from Billings High School and entered the US Navy. After his 3 years of service, he enrolled at Montana State University at Bozeman, where he majored in Electrical Engineering. He earned employment with Control Data in Minneapolis, where he worked for twenty-plus years, during which time, he earned his Master's Degree in Management Science from the Sloan School of Business at M.I.T. in Boston, MA.

Gary was married in Eagan, MN on October 29, 1988 to Monica (Pierson) Griffith, and they spent the 90's in Carmel, IN, while he served as Associate Dean and Adjunct Professor at Purdue University in Indianapolis. They retired to Shell Lake in 2000, and Gary became very active in the community, serving on City Council and with the Shell Lake Lion's Club. Gary's ingenuity served him well in later years on the lake, where there was always a project or a problem that needed solving. He loved to water ski, swim and spend as much time as possible on the lake.

Gary leaves many fond memories with his loving wife, Monica of Shell Lake and her children: Dean (Jodi) Griffith of Cumberland, Denise Griffith of Farmington, MN and Duane (Amber) Griffith of Prior Lake, MN; Gary's sons: Kevin (Laura) Burkart of Prior Lake, MN and Brian (Nora) Burkart of Prior Lake, MN; his sister, Vicky Roda of Sacramento, CA; grandchildren: Jakson, Dale, Dwight and Drew Griffith; his niece, Janice Omacht of Minneapolis, MN and his nephew, John Omacht of Stewartville, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, June 9, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Shell Lake, WI with Father Bala Showry officiating and Military Honors accorded by Wisconsin Military Honors Team and the Shell Lake Honor Guard. Burial will be in Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Spooner, WI. Pallbearers are Jakson Griffith, Dale Griffith, Dwight Griffith, Drew Griffith, Jan Omacht and Doug Downs. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 on Thursday at the Skinner Funeral Home in Shell Lake and one hour prior to the Mass on Friday at the church.

Last Update: Dec 16, 2018 5:41 pm CST