Vernon R. Gatley Jr.
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A - February 2, 2012
Vernon R. Gatley Jr., 84,
Grand Junction, died Jan. 30,
2012, at LaVilla Grande Care
Center.
Services with military honors
will be held at Veterans Memorial
Cemetery of Western
Colorado at a later date.
Survivors include his wife,
Marjorie; two daughters, Patricia
Gatley Doan of Loveland
and Susan Gatley Britvec of
Grand Junction; eight grandchildren;
and 16 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to
Hospice & Palliative Care of
Western Colorado, 3090B North
12th St., Grand Junction 81506,
or to Roice-Hurst Humane Society,
P.O. Box 4040, Grand Junction
81502.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D - February 26, 2012
Vernon “Vern” Rowe Gatley,
Jr., died on January 30th at La
Villa Grande Care Center, with
his wife at his side. He was 84.
Vern was the only child born to
Vernon Rowe and Marguerite
Bain Gatley, Sr. in Denver, CO.
He attended local Denver schools,
except when he traveled with his
parents, and was home-schooled
by his mother. For his high school years, he attended Fishburne
Military Academy in Waynesboro, VA. In 1944, during WWII he
enlisted in the Army at age 17. He graduated from the United States
Military Academy at West Point, NY, in June 1950. His favorite assignment
was to Ft. Bliss, TX, where he was an instructor of antiaircraft
and guided missiles at the Artillery School. After being honora
b l y d i s c h a r g e d f r o m t h e A r m y i n 1 9 5 3 , h e a t t e n d e d t h e
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a master's degree
in Engineering of Science. He went into business with his father
in Virginia, Florida, and Grand Junction. He also worked at the
Job Service for the State of Colorado until his retirement in 1990.
Marjorie Ann Ramsey and Vern met on a blind date during his
plebe year at West Point. Due to regulations at the Academy, they
had to wait until he graduated to marry. They were married the day
after his graduation in June of 1950 in the West Point Chapel.
Camping, fishing, hunting, guns and reloading, and being together
with family were some of his favorite pastimes. He loved to tell stories
and was well known for his tales about WWII and his time in
the service. Even though he might tell the same story more than
once, there was a strong possibility that the story would not always
have the same ending.
Marjorie R, Gatley, his wife of almost 62 years, survives along
with their children, Patricia (Keven) Doan of Loveland, CO, and Susan
(Mark) Britvec of Grand Junction, CO. They have eight grandchildren,
Brian, Kip, Jeremy, Andrew, Lindsey, Emily, Amanda,
and Elliot, and 16 great-grandchildren and many cousins. Their son,
Vernon R. “Chip” Gatley, III, of Grand Junction, CO, preceded him
in death last year, and leaves his wife, Zoe Gatley.
Cremation has taken place. A full military service will be held on
March 2, 2012, at 3:00, at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in
Grand Junction, CO. Contributions in his memory may be made to
Roice-Hurst Humane Society, 362 28 Road, Grand Junction, CO
81501, or Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Western Colorado,
3090 N. 12th Street, Unit B, Grand Junction, CO 81506. The family
can be reached at PO Box 40211, Grand Junction, CO 81504.
