Gary L. Nesteby
Gary Lee Nesteby, 77, of Marion, passed away in hospice care at St. Luke’s Hospital on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Visitation was held on June 2, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Marion.
Gary was born on March 8, 1948, in Oelwein, to the late Gerald and Dorothy (Gamm) Nesteby. He graduated from Central Community High School and later earned an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clinton Community College (UCLA). On June 27, 1970, he married the love of his life, Judy McCreedy, at Kenwood Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. Their union was blessed with two children, Tracy and Brandon.
He moved to Cedar Rapids to begin his career at Collins-Radio. From there, he held positions at Iowa Electric, Nissen Corp., and Skogman Realty. Driven by a passion for quality control, he eventually founded the Iowa Quality Center to pursue that vision. He served as the executive director of the Iowa Recognition for Performance Excellence (IRPE) for 17 years, led the Iowa Quality Center as executive director for 19 years, served as a senior examiner for the Baldrige Award for 12 years and contributed to Marion Planning & Development for 21 years.
Gary had an enduring love for golf—it was his passion. He was always eager to find a course, no matter where he was. One of his most cherished memories was a spontaneous trip to St. Andrews in Scotland, the birthplace of golf. When he wasn’t on the golf course, he was admiring cars. His prized possession was a 1969 Mustang, which he reluctantly sold when it could no longer accommodate two car seats. Years later, he fulfilled his passion once more by purchasing a 1995 Mustang Convertible, which he loved cruising around in. His greatest joy in life was being a grandfather. He cherished every moment spent with his grandchildren and valued those times above all else. Whether it was a game, race or school event, he was always there—front and center—as their biggest supporter.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Nesteby; daughter, Tracy Nesteby (Darwin Dede); son, Brandon (Christie) Nesteby; grandchildren, Spencer Dede (Morgan Ness), Skylar (Jaden) Recker, Taylor Nesteby (Cameron Story) and Brystol Nesteby; dog, Evie; grand-dogs, Flynn, Cali, Paisley, Princeton, Beasley and Halpert; great-granddaughter due in November; and cousin, Kay Biederman, who was more like a sister to him.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Robert Nesteby.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Liver Foundation or a local pet charity of your choice.
