LT. COL. Gary Crosby Kulbitski

Gary was born on January 1st, 1943 in Iowa City, Iowa where his father was stationed during World War II. He spent most of his childhood among a large extended family in South St. Paul, Minnesota, with a few of his teen years in Bellingham, Washington, returning to South St. Paul for his senior year of high school. After his first year of college, in 1962, he spent the summer at the home of his Uncle Richard Werner in White Bear Lake, MN and worked for him in his propane business. When not at work, Gary and his cousins Jay and Phil Werner would play bridge with the next-door neighbor, Lee Ella Curtis, as the fourth. Towards the end of the summer, Jay suggested that if the trick contained ace-two-three-four of the same suit, the holder of the ace should kiss the dealer. And so it was that Gary gave Lee her first kiss on September 3, 1962. They were married September 3, 1965 after Gary had graduated from OCS.

They were stationed a short while at Fort Sill, OK. Gary was then sent to spend 13 months in Korea. While there, Gary Crosby Kulbitski Jr. was born July 21, 1966. After Korea Gary was again stationed at Fort Sill, where Anne Alaina Kulbitski was born April 11, 1968.

Gary resigned from active duty the summer of 1968 but stayed in the Army Reserve for 19 more years. They returned to White Bear Lake Minnesota to finish their college degrees. Gary graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in electrical engineering. He went to work for a division of Control Data which would later be bought out by General Dynamics. The family moved to their home of 30 years in Burnsville, MN. Son Paul Curtis Kulbitski was born in 1973. Gary enjoyed a fruitful career and became known as the “dad of the AYK-14” a computer on many Navy jets. He worked for this one group until retirement the end of 2001. During this time Gary and the family were active in the Church of the Nativity and the Minnesota Cursillo community.

In 2002, Gary and Lee moved to Colorado to enjoy grandchildren in Colorado Springs and skiing at their condo in Keystone. Gary and Lee became members of St. Michaels in the Springs and participated in St. John’s in Breckenridge. Gary loved to play golf, play bridge and ski. He loved participating in the Men’s groups, both in the Springs and Summit County. He particularly loved participating in the KAIROS prison ministry programs offed at Correctional facilities around the state, including Territorial, Sterling, Buena Vista, and Bent County. His mission in all aspects of his life was to practice kindness. For three years he battled cancer and knee replacements enduring many surgical procedures. Until the very end, if asked how he felt, he would say “ultra fantastic”. He chose to Live while he could. He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, friend and witness. May all who knew him hang on to the joy he gave them.