Gary Joseph Loftus

Gary Joseph Loftus of Edwardsville, Indiana, loving husband and father of five children, passed away on Wednesday, December 24, 2020, at the age of 69.

Gary was born on June 29, 1951, in Navilleton, Indiana, to Francis "Jerry" and Mary "Jean" (Shirley) Loftus. He graduated from Floyd Central High School in 1969 and earned his Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering in 1973 from Purdue University. He was a lifetime member of the American Society of Engineers and a former member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors, and the Southern Indiana Draft Horse Association. He was a Registered Indiana Professional Engineer and an Indiana Professional Land Surveyor. Gary was a former President of the Edwardsville Water Corporation, a former Floyd County Commissioner, and a former President of the Floyd County Plan Commission. He was an active member of the Georgetown Boys Friendship Society.

Gary was a lifetime entrepreneur and businessman in Edwardsville. He built several residential properties with his father and later with his own family. He spent all of his life farming in Edwardsville at Loftus Family Farms. He married his wife, Debra Kay (Bennett) Loftus on September 20, 1974. They had two sons, Michael and Jacob, and three daughters, Rebecca, Kathy, and Heather. Although Gary was a dedicated farmer and pillar of the community, his real passion was in traveling and spending time with his eight grandchildren. He loved taking family vacations and prided himself on visiting 49 of the 50 states. He spent a lot of time at his family's farm stand, The Berry Shed, and was very proud of his family legacy of farming strawberries for over a century in Floyd County.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Francis "Jerry" and Mary "Jean" Loftus; his brother Rick; and his son Michael. He is survived by his wife, Debra; his four children, Rebecca (Valentin) Loftus, Kathy (Ben) Erdman, Heather (Chad) Varner, and Jacob (Brittany) Loftus; and his eight grandchildren, Jared Erdman, Kaitlyn Erdman, Marcus Ramos, Isabella Trujillo, Aaron Trujillo, Sophia Varner, Ethan Varner, and Emma Loftus.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions - New Albany (3309 Ballard Lane). His Funeral Service will be kept private. He will be laid to rest at Edwardsville Cemetery (Tunnel Hill) in Georgetown, Indiana. A celebration of Gary's life will take place in June 2021 at his family home in Edwardsville.

The family requests that contributions be made in his name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

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