obit template2018-11-29T12:10:12+00:00

Gary Robert
Dornbach

Gary Dornbach was a passionate, loving man, who had an amazing testimony and loved to share his life story with everyone he met. Whether it was winning a promotion with the sales company he worked with or winning someone to the Lord Jesus Christ, he loved to set a goal and put everything he had been given into reaching that goal. He was a loving husband, devoted father and grandfather, faithful follower of Jesus, and a friend to many. Hundreds would attest to the amazing influence and direction that Gary provided by teaching they and their families the truths found in the Word of God. However, Gary didn’t always live life according to the Word of God, and this is the testimony he always liked to share with people.

As America confronted the aftermath of World War II during the 1950s, Eugene Dornbach was hard at work as an industrial salesman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After putting in a full day, he returned home to his beloved wife, Lois (Owens), and their two sons, Edward and Scott. On September 23, 1954, Eugene and Lois were blessed with the birth of their third son, who they named Gary Robert. He and his brothers were later joined by their youngest brother, Patrick, who completed the Dornbach household.

Gary spent his early childhood living around 25th and Galena Streets in Milwaukee, but later moved with his family to Wauwatosa, where he spent the majority of his growing up years. Gary was a spunky, fun loving kid with a very funny side. He began collecting things at a young age, including key rings and bumper stickers. To bolster his collection, Gary called random companies to solicit donations, which was met with great success – their living room was filled to the brim with contributions. The Dornbachs made many wonderful memories together on yearly family vacations to exciting places throughout the U.S. Gary especially loved the west, and later enjoyed decorating a room in his house with western décor.

School was not one of Gary’s favorite places to be, though he did enjoy the social interaction with his friends. Gary had an outgoing personality and loved to talk, which started all the way back in kindergarten when his teacher told his parents that “Gary monopolized show and tell.” By the time he was in Wauwatosa East High School, his dad would drop him off at the front door, and Gary headed straight for the back exit. Unfortunately, Gary’s search for a good time just led him into trouble. He began selling drugs in school and was eventually expelled. He later went back and earned his GED.

After high school, Gary’s life spiraled into a serious addiction to drugs and the lifestyle that came along with it. During this point of his life, there were not many good things that were taking place as he was arrested for crimes that he began committing as he tried coming up with money to repay drug dealers. This sounds bleak, but Gary actually carried around his mug shots in his Bible to the day he died. He would pull out those mug shots, show them to any stranger, and begin sharing with them about the life God delivered him out of.

Before Gary was delivered from this life of drugs and addiction, he found work in various restaurants and worked his way up to managerial positions. For a while, Gary was Assistant Manager at the Ground Round, and as such, he hired a young lady named Lynn Wieberg to be the restaurant hostess. Lynn was shy and quiet, completely opposite of Gary, so he tried to help her be more outgoing. At first, Gary and Lynn would get under one another’s skin because they were so opposite, but like the saying goes, “opposites attract.” The two started seeing each other outside of work, and a romance soon blossomed between them. It wasn’t long before Lynn moved in with Gary and they eventually married on May 24, 1980, at the Greendale Community Church. Gary was still into drugs, but he now had his wife Lynn, and their daughter Pam to take care of. Shortly after saying “I do,” their family of three grew to include another wonderful bundle of joy with the birth of their son, Gary II, in September of 1980.

As Gary continued trying to support his drug habit, he also continued to get himself deeper into trouble with drug dealers and legal officials alike. It was about 1985 when Gary was managing a Japanese steakhouse in Milwaukee and he needed a significant amount of money to pay for some drugs that he had already used. He was about to take money from the restaurant he managed when he pulled out a picture of his 4-year-old son and he started to cry. Gary realized he didn’t even know his own children. He said a prayer that night and said, “God, if you’re real. You have to help me.” That invitation was all the Lord needed. Gary did not take any money from the restaurant that night, and God began to deal with him. This began Gary’s journey toward God.

Gary was in a drug rehabilitation program, but nobody really expected much to happen here. He had already been in programs like this five or six times. This time, however, there was a woman who was in the program with Gary, and she began repeatedly inviting Gary to attend a Bible Study, which he turned down. Well, she kept inviting, and after about six or seven invitations, Gary finally agreed to come. He would later say that he just said yes to her invitation so she would stop bothering him. When he finally went to that Bible study taught by Anthony Tamel, he felt the presence of God so strongly that he was holding back tears throughout the lesson. It was not long after that study that Gary repented of all of his sins, he saw in the Bible that he needed to have those sins washed away by being baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, and God filled Gary with the Holy Ghost.

Gary was not just content to share his testimony, love God, be a good father, and go to church. He wanted to tell everyone he could about the truths he saw so clearly in the Word of God. So, around 1987, Anthony Tamel encouraged Gary to begin teaching his own Bible studies. Gary not only began doing that, he actually wrote a number of different Bible studies and also recorded a 12-week study on DVD.

Gary had always done everything with all his heart and he passionately pursued each goal he put his mind to. Once he began teaching Bible studies that never changed. Gary’s radiant and positive personality allowed him to connect with people from all walks of life, and he ended up seeing more than 400 people baptized in Jesus’ Name and filled with the Holy Ghost over his 20+ years of ministry. He never stopped teaching. He was in the middle of a Bible study to the very day he passed. His wife Lynn said “Gary the salesman became a salesman of God.”

After God changed Gary’s life, Gary didn’t just become effective at loving strangers, he also loved his family with all of his heart. He was patient, caring and generous with his time, and always encouraged his children in their many endeavors. Gary was quite competitive by nature, which often came out when playing games with his kids. They would often play board games like “Sorry,” “Aggravation,” or “Monopoly” for favors (usually something like washing the dishes for one another when it was their night for chores). Gary usually won because if he didn’t, he would keep playing until he did.

Like his father, Eugene, Gary went into sales and also loved taking his family on vacations. Family vacations included a surprise trip to Disney World and a tour of London that Gary won at work. Gary won several sales promotions, trips, money, and a boat throughout his many years selling food and chemicals. Gary coupled his competitive nature and drive with a wonderful and optimistic personality that drew people in, and that made him successful both in convincing vendors to buy food and in unbelievers to be open to the Almighty God that changed his life.

Since the mid 1990s, Gary battled physical ailments, including back problems, which led to him having surgery in 1996. After two additional surgeries, the last one being in November 2009, his back pain was finally eliminated when he had a fusion in his back. Tragically, a year later, on November 30, 2010, Gary was in a serious car accident and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. After being hospitalized for 5 weeks at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa, Gary was transferred to Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation Center on December 31, 2010. However, a few days later, he was found unconscious and unresponsive and quickly transported to St. Luke’s Medical Center. It was concluded that Gary suffered a pulmonary embolism and, unfortunately, he passed away on Wednesday, January 5, 2011, at the age of 56.

Beloved husband of Lynn Dornbach (nee Wieberg). Loving father of Pam (Rahl) Douglass and Gary II (Jaqueline) Dornbach. Loving grandpa of Kiera. Dear brother of Ed (Sue) Dornbach, Scott (Diane) Dornbach. Preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Lois (nee Owens) Dornbach, and brother, Patrick Dornbach. Dear son-in-law of Elaine Wieberg. Further survived by other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be on Monday, January 10, 2011, at Parkway Apostolic Church, 10940 S. Nicholson Road, Oak Creek, WI 53154, from 4: 00 until 6:45 p.m. followed by the Funeral Service at 7:00 p.m. Private interment at Woodlawn Cemetery Milwaukee, WI. Please visit Gary’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory with his family or sign his online guest book. Suminski Family Funeral Homes, Niemann/Suminski (414-744-5156).

Past Comments

Jay Ravichandran

Dear Dornbach Family and FriendsMy name is Jay Ravichandran. I am Scott Dornbach’s spiritual Grandson and Gary Dornbach’s spiritual nephew. I wanted to send my condolences to you and your family for the loss of Gary R Dornbach Sr. I have known Gary Dornbach for about a year and a half now. I was saved through going through “THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE”. We have met each other quite a few times and we talked many a time over the phone. He has truly been my Spiritual Uncle and a best friend of mine and I am known to him as “His little buddy.” I have to say I was taught by the best on how to teach bible studies. I now know the tips and tricks on how to teach bible studies because Uncle Gary D, and my Gramps Scott taught me personally how to teach bible studies. When it came to my blood father, Uncle Gary gave me the advice I NEEDED to hear not what I wanted to hear and his advice has helped me ever since. He taught me to love my father through God’s eyes. “Ask Jesus about how he sees your father and love him (my father). ” I love Uncle Gary and miss him so much. Even though he had so much work, he always made time for me. I want to take what he has taught me plus his zeal for souls and apply it to my life. I know that SIr Gary Dornbach’s soul winnning legacy will live on. People who don’t even know him, teach his bible study.

With Much Love

Jay Ravichandran

lindsey wagner

i am scott (my gramps) and dian (my grammy) dornback spirichol grand daugher (as like jay there grandson) i didnt get to know gary but hear a tune from jay about what a awsome guy he was 🙂 i belive what he touhg will live on forever… i wanted to say i am praying for this family and for my grammy & gramps.i know what it like to lose a love one and it hard.do rember all the fun time you had with him and that now he is with jesus.with no pain and fully heald (sorry for speeling) hugs to all, lindsey wagner

Gary Dornbach II

My Dad was an AMAZING person that loved God, loved people, and loved the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Chances are, if you are looking at this page and reading this, you may have been one of the many people whose life he touched. He had an incredible testimony about what God brought him out of, and he loved sharing it with people. Matter of fact, he carried pictures of his mug shots from when he was arrested for different things… just so that it would open the door for him to be able to tell you about how great God is and what God did for he and his family! I can honestly say that teaching Bible studies and reaching people with the Gospel was on his mind at ALL times! Imagine what we all could do if we lived life with that same passion and drive to share our testimony and share the message of Jesus Christ and what He did for us! My father has handed me a legacy and an inheritance greater than any sum of money: Jesus Christ and His love, and a passion for the Word of God and truth.. In addition to myself, my Dad handed many of you this same legacy. Let’s carry that on together! There’s nothing more that he would have wanted. I LOVE YOU DAD, see you again one day.

The Wahner Family

Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Dornbach family at this difficult time. We wish you peace in knowing that Bro. Gary is where he should be for a fight well fought and a history unsurpassed. May the Lord continue to bless you all and know that he has touched many a soul through his many years of dedicated service. God Bless you and keep you.

Matt Gorniak

I have had the privilege of knowing Gary and Lynn for the past 20 years. I still remember the first time I met Gary. Nadine and I were engaged to be married when she met one of her former co-workers along the beach near UWM. Janette invited us to a Bible study at her apartment. At first we said no, but she kept insisting; “you gotta meet this guy that the Lord is using. He used to be in prison but now is on fire for God!” I have to admit, we were more curious about meeting this guy than about the Bible. Thus the scripture was fulfilled in Revelation 12:11“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” It was Gary’s powerful testimony that drew us to the Lord. Wow, were we in for a surprise. Gary would teach for an hour, but we kept him there till the wee hours of the morning just talking about the things of God! I thanked him over and over again, almost every time I saw him, for teaching me a Bible study. Because of his love and passion for Jesus Christ and spreading the Gospel there will be many jewels in Gary’s crown. God only knows the number of souls who are baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost because one man was totally committed to the Great Comission.

Gary loved to teach people who Jesus really was by showing us the many titles or offices that God fulfills. Well…Gary had many titles as well…he was a son to two wonderful parents, he was a husband and soul mate for Lynn, he was an always proud father of Pam and Gary, others knew him as brother still others knew him as uncle, (all those dogs knew him as “Master”) but perhaps Gary’s greatest legacy was the fact that so many of us knew him as teacher, mentor and friend. As Paul was to Timothy, so was Gary to so many of us. Perhaps the greatest compliment I could give Gary was that he such a genuine Christian. He reached out to me and my family not just by teaching us a Bible study but by inviting us into their lives. He wouldn’t stop until we were out doing exactly what he was doing- reaching souls one Bible study and one friendship at a time.

I will miss the laughter, I will miss the hugs, I will miss the tears, I will miss the fellowship, I will miss praying with Gary at the altar, I will miss the Stoneking impersonations, I will miss his always present smile, and I will miss watching Gary dancing down the aisles of church worshipping God like he had been completely set free… But I know the trumpet will soon sound uniting us all once again, and we will dine together at the Marriage Supper of the lamb. I know the table has been set and I can see it now, there sitting next to Jesus are James and John perhaps they got their request. I’m sure Peter and Paul are right there. As I turn around I see a table marked “Gary Dornbach and guests” and there are hundreds and hundreds of people sitting at that table enjoying the presence of their Savior all because one man’s legacy will live on for all eternity.

Thank you for teaching me a home Bible Study buddy, I love you so much and miss you already!

Rosie Stuiber

I have to many WONDERFUL memories of Gary but the one that stands out the most for me is my FIRST date with my husband that included the WHOLE Dornbach family. The date started off with Nick coming to my door to pick me up and at the door he says that he forgot that he promised Gary and Lynn that he would help out with Little Gary’s birthday party. Nick said that if I wanted to bail out he would understand, me wanting to make a good impression said No I would love to go…I get in the car with Nick and there in his back seat is Little Gary and 2 of his friends…to say the least the car ride to the PutPut Golf course was interesting with coments from the back seat like” do you like her??” and “your not gonna kiss her are you??” Fun hey, well then we arrive and Gary and Lynn are there to meet us, Lynn was feeling bad that my First date with Nick was with them and Gary is saying It’s the perfect way for a first date…Not being to fimilar with Gary I didn’t know how to gage him but Lynn was sweet and kind, while Gary was giving me the business that I should be going to a Bible Study with Nick so all our dates would be Bible study’s, the more Gary spoke out the more Lynn apologized. I found out that Gary was trying to figure me out to see if I would be right for Nick…To say the night was Fun would be an understatement but it’s one night that I have cherished in my heart for more than 22 years. I thank God he brought Gary Dornbach into Parkway because of it Gary taught Nick a Bible Study and I was able to meet, date and marry, and have 3 beautiful girls. When the girls were toddler’s he tried to get them to call him Uncle Wonderful…we laughed at Gary and a few times the girls did call him that. In my heart I will ALWAYS remember him as Uncle Wonderful. I’m gonna miss him but hold on to ALL of my memories of him. Thank you Gary for impacting my life!

Being one of Garys “big brothers” was a wild ride, a true adventure. You never knew what to expect especially in our wild years. After Gary was about eighteen years old we became very close. I could tell many crazy stories about Gary and I but our real love for each other came about in 1987. After all that we had been through there was no way that after Gary came to know Jesus that he was going to leave me behind. Gary called me almost daily with glowing reports of how happy he was living a clean life with our Lord Jesus. He invited me to Bible Studies and church so often that in no way could I count them. I though that he had been brain washed by some cult. How could a guy go from the crazy life like ours to the life of a “Jesus Freak”? But something caught my attention Gary was straight and sober and totally happy and I was totally miserable. Finally Gary inspired by the Holy Ghost invited me again to a Bible Study but with a twist this time. Gary told me that he was having a Bible Study at his home and that if I came for only three lessons he would never bother me again. He knew that I would look at this as a way to get him off my back. But he also felt that this was from God and my life would be changed forever. When I arrived to the study I soon realized that Gary had set me up because the only people at this study were Gary, Pastor Tamel, amd me. Gary obviously had the mind of God because it is now 2011 and I am stil comming. Praise God and thank you Gary. I miss his laughter already but I have something to look forward to. I have a date in the future because Gary, Pastor Tamel, Bobbie Hafmann and I made a pact years ago to meet at the Eastern Gate on that great day of The Lord. I love you Gary, see you again on the streets of Gold.

Your Brother,

Scott

Scott Dornbach

SEE BELOW

Thank You

Arthur&Rachel Shilts

We met the Dornvach’s through our oldest daughter Jackie whe went to bible school and fell in love with thier son, Gary Dornbach II. I was very worried about my daughters choice as I had many tears and much prayer invested in her and had seen her develop into a very powerfull anointed young lady who could sing and play the piano like no other. So when this young man came to our house I tried to scare the life out of him but soon learned that he was not running away and Jackie was not going to let him. In September of 2005 we were to meet this young mans parents and at outback steakhouse we met Gary and Lynn Dornbach. they were so loving, kind and considerate and made us feel welcome without hesitation. As I listened that sunday morning and thier son preached to his home church I seen the anointing of God I desired to see in my daughters mate and all my concerns were temoved that this was God’s choice of a husband for her. Over the next couple years I got to know the Dornbachs better and developed a freindship with Gary Sr. that became close. I realixed very quickly the reason his son had such an anointing on his life was partly because of his fathers love of the Truth of Jesus and his unending and unquenchable passion to see souls saved. In these years I never was able to have a conversation with Gary when he did not talk about Bible studies and seeing souls saved. We have surely lost a great man of God who will be missed so much. One day we shall meet agian, I know His crown shall be very large to hold all the jewels of the souls he has won, We will miss you Gary. I will miss our talks. We will win souls to Jesus because of your insperation.

Lonnie Shilts

I met Gary through his sons marriage to my neice. I did not get to know him well as we spent very limited time together. I have taught and used his Bible Study and I know that it was given from God, and the proof is in the souls that have been saved because of his vision. My fondest memory was taking him snowmobiling. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed his company!

Lonnie Shilts

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