Senator Harry T. Gast

A Celebration of Life Service was held at 1 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2015 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph.

Burial was followed at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. This was also followed by a reception at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph.

Harry was born September 19, 1920 in St. Joseph to Harry T. and Fern (Shearer) Gast. Harry grew up on the family farm, which used draft horses.

One winter the snow was so high, Harry and his brothers and sister dug a tunnel from the old house to the barn so they could travel the tunnel to do their chores. While still living in the old house, he watched the new brick house being built. This house is the house he remained in and where, with the help of his grandsons, Nick and Tom, he was able to stay until he died.

Harry married Vera Jean Warren on June 6, 1943. A young Harry played softball on Planger’s team in the 50s, and enjoyed fishing, hunting and trapping. Deer hunting became his reason for his yearly trip to the Upper Peninsula that continued into his 80’s. He had a hunting camp outside of Republic, Michigan. Harry took to cards, to poker and later enjoyed the casinos that came to the area.

In 1944, Alfred Bartz, the Lincoln Township Supervisor, visited Harry out in one of his fields and talked him into the job of township Treasurer. He also served on the School Board.

When Al retired, Harry ran for Supervisor and a trend was started. He went on to become the Lincoln Township Supervisor for seven years and then on to the Michigan House of Representatives when Don Pears retired. The Senate came eight years later.

Weekdays in Lansing and weekends and summers on the farm kept Harry going at a fast pace and the whole family pitched in to make it work.

When Harry ran in the Republican Primary for the 43rd State Representative seat, everything moved up a notch with campaigning in a race with three other Republicans.

During his time in office, Harry was a staunch supporter of local education, especially community colleges. When he retired from the Senate in 2002 he had about $25,000 left in his campaign fund, which he split between four community colleges. Through Harry’s astute leadership, the funding for community colleges, the State Police of Michigan, and the Department of Natural Resources’ greatly increased.

Harry was also an avid, if frustrated, Tigers fan. He would listen to the games on the truck radio while picking peaches or tomatoes. Harry enjoyed cars and driving, which was lucky because he pretty much lived on the roads between the farm and Lansing for many years. His car was even struck by lightning on I-94, shutting down all electronics and trapping him in the car.

Harry is survived by his wife of 72 years, Vera Jean; daughters, Linda Gast of Newport, Oregon, and Barbara (Bill) Curtis of Wheeler, Michigan; and his son, Dennis (Friederike) Gast of Chassell. He will also be missed by his grandchildren, Chris (Jen Lescher), Kelly, Nick, Tom, Becca, Skip, Jenna, and Lilli Gast, and Lisa (Matt) Wolf.

Harry was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard (Dick), Lee; and his sister, Ellen Carpenter.

He is also survived by his former daughter-in-law and mother of his initial eight grandchildren, Jenifer (Dale) Buerkhouse.

The family would like to thank Hospice at Home for all of their tireless help along with grandsons, Tom and Nick Gast. We would also like to thank all of the friends and neighbors who have helped Harry and Jean throughout the years.

Dennis would also like to extend a big thank you to his children for being pallbearers and helping with the reception. He would also like to especially thank his wife, Friederike, and mother-in-law, Heidi Greuer, for their help with Harry’s reception.

If anyone wishes to make a donation in memory of Harry, please direct them to the Omega House or Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.

Most important of all, have a loving relationship with your children. In the end, they are the only ones who are there for you.