Age 60, a 36-year resident of Orange County, California, originally from Lexington, Minnesota, passed away on April 14, 2021.
A good-hearted, free-spirited, determined individual, he did things his own way and packed a lot of living into his life that ended too soon.
As a mischievous youth, he lived life on the edge early. For a thrill, he hopped on the back of a garbage truck like the garbage men. When he fell off the truck as it backed up and had both of his legs crushed, his doctors were not sure if he would ever walk the same again. Instead, he was soon racing motorcycles and pushing his limits further. He went on to become an Expert Class motocross racer in Minnesota in the late 1970’s before briefly racing professionally. Later, after moving to California in the early 1980’s, he took up competitive marathon running and mountain biking.
Slowed by narcolepsy that took hold in his 30’s, he worked extra hard while medicated daily with stimulants to apply his focus and determination toward becoming the best gardener and groundskeeper on his crews over a career that spanned 30 years at Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park and California State University Fullerton. Never proud of his lack of attention to school early in life, he consumed horticulture textbooks and journals voraciously as an adult and knew minute details, including the Latin genus and species names, of the plants he worked with daily. He could rebuild a flower garden like he had previously rebuilt his motocross bike, with meticulous attention to detail and pride in a job well done.
Back injuries in his 40’s slowed him further, and while recovering after a back surgery in his mid-50’s, a rare lung condition set in and robbed him of his ability to breathe. In 2019, he received the gift of life with a miracle double lung transplant from an accomplished young man who died tragically but generously donated his organs. Sadly, after a life of overcoming challenges, Gordy was never able to climb the physical and psychological mountains of this major transplant. He died peacefully at home under the care of his mother with his beloved dogs nearby.
He is preceded in death by his father, Gordon W. Huse, and
survived by his loving mother, Janet L. Huse (Dahler), five siblings: Kim Meline (Joel), Cathy Huse, William D. Huse (Lola), Daniel Huse (Mary) and Jonathan Huse (Shayna), his two dogs Miley and Teddy, and Kristian and Adrian Diaz, whom he loved as his own children and to whom he was a father figure.
A private funeral and burial will be held at Morningside Memorial Gardens in Coon Rapids.
