Gary Siebert

After a long and courageous battle with renal cancer, surrounded by family and friends, Gary Lynn Siebert, 47, of Jackson, formerly of Cape Girardeau, passed away Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Dec. 1, 1971, in Cape Girardeau, son of John Edward and Nelda Jean Zoellner Siebert.

Gary was raised on his parents' farm near Tilsit, which taught him early in life the benefits of working hard and, most importantly, putting God first.

He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit. He is a 1990 graduate of Jackson High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University. Gary loved to learn and try new things. He would say he was always "dreaming." During high school and college, he worked in construction for his cousin-in-law, Claude Friese Construction in Jackson.

Being an entrepreneur, Gary started a new venture at the young age of 25 as the owner and operator of Window Covering Specialist of Jackson. A few years later, he decided he needed a new challenge. Determination and many long days of study led him to obtain a Missouri life insurance agent license. He soon after went to work for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. in Cape Girardeau as a life insurance agent.

Gary was a man with a contagious smile. He was a warm, genuine, caring guy, with a very likable personality. Those attributes led him into sales management positions with companies such as Innovative Financial Group, Sunny Hill Gardens and most recently, Charter/Spectrum, all three in Cape Girardeau.

Gary was competitive by nature. He loved to hunt, mostly turkey hunt, especially with his children and friends. Along with hunting, fishing and boating were just a few of his other hobbies. His eyes would immediately light up when the word "volleyball" was mentioned. He was proud of the games won and the friendships and memories that were made. Gary was always ready for a good game of volleyball and loved to spike the ball. It did not matter whether it was co-ed, men's, youth, mud or sand volleyball, he was up to it.

He was a contender through and through, whether it was in his careers, on the court or battling cancer.

While Gary wore many hats of accomplishments in his life and had quite a few hobbies, what he treasured and loved the most and considered his greatest accomplishment and achievement was being a dad. He said many, many times, above all else, his greatest and best accomplishment was being a father to Kelsi, Coby and Kory, and and he could not be more proud of the three of them.

Gary was so thankful for his loving mother for always being there, supporting him no matter what, teaching him how to stand tall and strong to keep fighting for those things important in life, no matter what life brings your way, including cancer.

Loving survivors include his mother, Nelda Siebert of Jackson; three children, Kelsi Siebert of Scott City and Coby and Kory Siebert of Cape Girardeau; their mother, Nicole Siebert of Cape Girardeau; and Nicole's parents, Paul and Marilyn Schnare of Cape Girardeau.

Also surviving are two paternal aunts, Betty Siebert and Elda (the late Kenneth) Siebert of Tilsit; a maternal uncle, Howard (LaDonna) Zoellner of Marble Hill, Missouri; several cousins; and his special friend, Stephanie Stickle of Cape Girardeau.

He was preceded in death by his father and an uncle, Kenneth Siebert.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today in Chapel B at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Marty Hasz and Dell Crockett officiating. Interment will follow in Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery in Tilsit, with the Rev. Mark Boettcher officiating at the graveside.

In Gary's own words, those carrying him to his final resting place will be his "solid rock foundation friends." Casket bearers are James Seacrest, Brock Alspaugh, Kyle Crockett, Brent Brugger, Steve Kain and Eric Heuring. Honorary bearer is Amber Gossage.

In lieu of flowers, Gary's wishes were to have memorial contributions be made to help further the education of his children.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.