Gary Edward Anderson, loving father, son, and brother, died peacefully Dec. 21 with his family by his side. He was 57.

Born in Delta on Jan. 8, 1952, to Horace and Ruth Anderson, Gary lived in Delta and graduated from Delta High School in 1970.

In 1977, he married Lark Lawson. They lived in Montrose, Delta, Somerset and in 1986, Gary, Lark, Elissa, and Julia moved to Carbondale.

Gary and Lark divorced in 2005; he returned to Delta and later moved to Grand Junction.

He worked as a carpenter, surveyor, and in property maintenance for the Pitkin County Housing Authority and for Bray and Company in Grand Junction.

Gary loved to cook and always offered his kitchen table to neighbors and friends. The more mouths he fed, the happier he was. He also took great pride in his garden and loved to share it with everyone around him. He enjoyed fishing and going to Lake Powell. Gary had a huge heart for his daughters’ friends and always felt like he had more kids than just the girls. Gary loved his dogs as if they were his kids. He always said he wanted to adopt all the homeless dogs if he had a big enough place to keep them. Murphey and Mecca were his best friends and were by his side until the very end.

Gary was excited to be a grandfather for the first time. He got to meet his grandson Beau just days before he passed. Although he was taken from this earth way too soon, we all know he is smiling down on us making sure we continue to be just as generous as he always was.

Gary is survived by his mother and father, Ruth and Horace Anderson, sisters, Joyce Anderson and Debbie Anderson, children Elissa and Joshua Nye, Julia and Daniel Donohoue, his newest grandson Beau Edward Nye, Lark Lawson mother of his children, his two best buds Murphey and Mecca and the many kids he had adopted along the way. His second grandson, Rylan John Edward Donohoue, is due in March.

No services will be held at this time. Come spring there will be a celebration of life for Gary with food, family, friends and plenty of stories and memories to share.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Marillac Clinic in Grand Junction, Hospice of Western Colorado or any humane society.