Wayne Ivan Gunter

Wayne Ivan Gunter, 86, son of John and Beatrice (Collins) Gunter was born July 30, 1927 in Dora, MO. Wayne passed away on June 10, 2014 at home surrounded by his family. Wayne grew up on Dora Ridge in Missouri and attended Lone Pilgrim grade school near Dora. When he was 16, his family moved to Davis Creek near Hocomo, MO where he lived until he joined the Army. He married Mildred Margrete Fox on July 13, 1946 in South Fork, MO. Wayne always had an entrepreneurial spirit. He bought his first sawmill at 16. He continued to work in the timber and lumber business until 1962 when he moved his family to Colorado. Wayne and Mildred made their home in Pierce and started a family business, Gunter’s Welding, which operated for 20 years. In 1989, they retired and moved to the Poudre Canyon into the log home they built themselves. Wayne was a true craftsman, he used his knowledge of the logging industry to harvest the trees used for their retirement home and used his welding and blacksmithing skills to develop the machines to turn the trees into finished logs. Wayne was an avid fisherman, hunter and problem solver. People seemed drawn to him due to his personality and his willingness to help them with any type of problem. This provided him ample opportunity to share his knowledge and skills. Wayne never stopped creating things, as could be witnessed by his piles of treasure a.k.a. junk. He built everything from sawmills to musical instruments. Anyone who came into his life would end up a proud owner of a handmade dulcimer and free lessons. Wayne is survived by his eight children, Ed (Sue) Gunter of Mesa, AZ, Brad (Cheree) Gunter of Canon City, CO, Ken (Jayne) Gunter of Carr, CO, Pam Gunter of Johnstown, CO, Dan (Lynnette) Gunter of Bartlesville, OK, Sam (Sabine) Gunter of Johnstown, Steve Gunter of Bellvue, CO and Connie (Bob Oleson) Gunter of Fort Collins, CO; twenty three grandchildren; twenty four great-grandchildren with two great-grandchildren on the way; brothers, Wayland Gunter, Joe Gunter, David Gunter, all of Missouri, and sisters, Sylvia Peterman of Oklahoma, and Zella Mae Rhoades of Missouri. Wayne is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years Mildred; his parents, John and Beatrice; his brother, Robert Gunter; and two infant great-grandchildren, Rodney and Chloe. Service will be at 1 p.m. Monday, June 16, 2014 at Adamson Chapel. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made to "First Baptist Church of Pierce” in care of Adamson Funeral & Cremation Services 2000 47th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634.