Gary Layton Ganske

Gary Layton Ganske, 74 of Nampa, passed away on Friday, August 4, 2017 at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho. A Memorial Service to honor and celebrate his life will be held at 11 AM on Friday, August 18, 2017 at the College Church of the Nazarene, 504 E. Dewey Ave, Nampa, ID. Services are under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel, 415 12th Ave. So. – 208-442-8171. An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com

Gary was born on June 15, 1943 to Merton and Audrey Ganske in Portland, Oregon. He was the oldest of three children. Gary lived in Portland until 1965 when graduated from Portland State College. He then moved to Santa Barbra California to attend graduate school at the University of California, Santa Barbra. It was here that he met his wife to be Karen Dawson. They were married on August 25th, 1967 at Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena California. After their marriage the couple moved to Norman, Oklahoma where Gary completed his PhD in mathematics.

Gary and Karen moved to Spokane Washington in 1971 where Gary began work as a professor of mathematics at Whitworth College where he worked for 4 years. He was asked to come to Northwest Nazarene College/University in 1975 where he worked for 34 years, retiring in 2009. Gary took a lot of pleasure in teaching. He made it a priority to know students names and something about them. He invited students to his home for meals, pumpkin carving parties or to play board games. He constantly asked himself questions of how he could become a more effective teacher. Gary appreciated that he was not alone in educating students and had colleagues he could rely on to help him look at things with a new perspective or to encourage him.

Gary valued adventures with his family. He enjoyed sharing his interests with them including camping trips, train rides and bakeries. He was proud of his family and never tired of telling them the positive attributes he saw in them. He encouraged them to reach their goals and to be thoughtful. He enjoyed spending his time playing board games with friends, listening to old time radio shows, and learning the history and context of his many different collections. He was most happy when his wife was near.

Gary was a life-long member of the Church of the Nazarene. He believed that a community of believers was an essential part of his personal walk with the Lord.  Gary will be remembered as being loving, faithful, considerate and loyal.

Gary is survived by his wife Karen, son and daughter-in-law Karl and Julia Ganske, daughter Anna Ganske, grandchildren Thaddaeus and Elsbeth Ganske and his two sisters, Ellen Rupp and Sharie Gallup.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be sent to Hands of Hope, Northwest; 1201 South Powerline Road, Nampa ,ID 83686 or the Ganske Mathematics Scholarship at Northwest Nazarene University, 623 S. University Blvd., Nampa, ID 83686.

 Service Information