Gary O. Battles

Gary O. Battles, 82, died, in his home “up on the hill” in Aurora, Colo., on April 25, 2023.

Gary was born on Feb. 10, 1941, in Maquoketa, Ia., the son of Lynn Frederick and Helen (Gisel) Battles.

He attended and graduated from Elwood Consolidated School in 1959 and graduated from Wisconsin State University-Platteville in 1963.

His love of farming and cattle started on the family farm that has been in operation since 1848. He started his first cow herd at an early age and began his own feeding operation at 15 years old. Gary was a master showman and his eye for spotting exceptional cattle was evident.

He showed grand champions at the Jackson County Fair a total of four times and his prized steer “Toby” won many other regional competitions including the Quad County championship where it was rated as one of the best in the history of the show.

In college, he boastfully challenged a lone girl in class to sit up front with the boys. That girl, who never shied away from his boastful chatter, picked up her books and sat right next to him. She later became his wife of 57 years. Gary married Joyce (Cushman) Battles on June 13, 1965.

Gary in his true romantic ways convinced his young bride on their honeymoon to travel west, where he surprisingly took her to a feedlot operation that he wanted to see on the drive. Together they followed his cattlemen dreams first to Ottumwa, Ia., and then to Garden City where he served as a fat cattle buyer.

In 1969, he was hired as the general manager for Fairleigh Feed Yards in Scott City and remained there through 1989.

He did independent feed yard consulting for a couple of years while also buying fat cattle for Hy Plains Packing Company of Dodge City. In 1992, he worked his last decade at Ranger Feeders in Dighton and retired to Aurora, Colo., to be closer to family in 2003.

Gary loved Western Kansas and the vast “wall to wall blue sky”. He commented that “the wind is the sign of change” and as he drove up to the feedlot, he would remark that’s the “smell of money.”

Gary, who never played football before, joined the UW-Platteville Pioneer football team and earned his nickname “Hardrock” for his hard-nosed play. His first sporting love was baseball, where he played and lettered all four years at UW-Platteville. His baseball playing style mirrored the way he operated in life: hard-nosed, fast, meticulous in detail and playing the right way.

Gary coached his kids in softball and baseball the exact same way.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Reserve Corps from 1964-74. He was a proud member of the Kansas Livestock Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. In 2020, he was honored by the KLA as a member of the 50-Year Club.

In retirement, he started his second career as a very involved “Old Grandad” Gary. He loved following and hearing about his grandkids’ pursuits. Superfan Gary became known for his unique ability to insert himself in any activity, especially while watching or hearing about his grandkids’ sporting events.

While his disease took his ability away to walk, it never took his voice nor his sharp wit. He was a master at finding a way to connect and communicate with people. He enjoyed talking to family and friends on his “idiot machines” (known to us as a computer and cell phone). His trademark was handing out $2 bills, “if you never spend it, then you will never go broke.”

Gary created his own business card which he proudly shared. If you met Gary even just once, you would never forget him.

Gary is survived by his wife, Joyce; two daughters, Calista Wright and husband, Lynn, Aurora, Colo., and Candice Battles; two sons, Cort Battles, Lone Tree, Colo., and Cale Battles and wife, Tess, Verona, Wisc.; grandchildren, Challis Wright and wife, Haley, Maverick, Channing Hanson and husband, Tyrell, Cyler, Candra, Cian, Finn, Cale Battles and wife Tess; great-grandchildren, Graeden, Griffin and Granton; four brothers-inlaw and six sisters-in-law.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Lynn Frederick; father-in-law, Faun Cushman; mother-in-law, Phyllis Cushman; and two brothers-in-law.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sat., May 27, from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in Aurora, Colo., at the Heritage Eagle Bend Clubhouse, 23155 East Heritage Parkway. An additional celebration will take place on Mon., July 10, from 4:00-8:00 p.m. in Platteville, Wisc., at the Broske Center, 400 Pitt Street.

A private interment will be held at Hillside Cemetery in Platteville.

Gary was very specific that he did not want any flowers at his celebration of life. “Trees, plants and flowers are all weeds.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Kennedy’s Disease Association in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 412 North 7th Garden City, Ks. 67846.

Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes. com