Lavirtus E. Gehringer

Surrounded by his family, LaVirtus Gehringer, of Longmont, Colorado, passed away at his home on Thursday, October 2, 2008. He was 82 years old.LaVirtus Edward Gehringer was born December 19, 1925, in Lacona, Iowa, to Louis and Myrtle (Gass) Gehringer. He attended Melcher High School in Iowa, and entered the US Army during WWII, serving from 1944 to 1946. Upon his discharge, he moved to Colorado where he met and married Lucille R. Adler on August 7, 1951, in Longmont.Mr. Gehringer worked for 15 years with C&H Appliance as a repair and installation technician. He later joined the plant maintenance and refrigeration staff at IBM, working for 23 years until his retirement in 1990.LaVirtus was an avid golfer and played regularly with the Sunset Men's Golf League. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 32, and the BPO Elks #1055. Family was very important to him; he supported his sons in their athletics, and also his grandchildren in all of their endeavors.He will be greatly missed by his wife, Lucille Gehringer of Longmont; sons, Robert Gehringer and his wife, Lynne, of Johnstown, Colorado, and Ronald Gehringer and his wife, Bonnie, of Longmont; and his siblings and their families, LaVern Gehringer of Denver, Lyle Gehringer and his wife, Virginia, of Longmont, Joan Yakel and her husband, Harvey, of Longmont, and Mary Calkins of Las Vegas, Nevada. He is further survived by four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents, and a grandson, Nicholas (CD) Gehringer.Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2008, at Howe Mortuary, Longmont, followed by a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Longmont, at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 8, with The Reverend Brian Morrow as Celebrant. Interment will follow at Longmont Mountain View Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Suite A, Lafayette, CO 80026 or the American Lung Association, 1600 Race St., Denver, CO 80206.Please share thoughts, memories and condolences with the family at www.howemortuary.com.