Gregory Geurtz

Gregory Geurtz was born in 1954 at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. As the son of an Air Force officer, he spent much of his childhood moving, attending St. Michael’s Elementary School in Honolulu, Hawaii, and later Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a master’s degree from the Florida Institute of Technology in Tampa, Florida. He also achieved the professional designation of Certified Professional Contracts Manager.

Following his father’s example, Greg served as a Supply Corps officer in the U.S. Navy. His active-duty stations included the USS John Paul Jones in San Diego, California, the Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station in Keyport, Washington, and the Fleet Intelligence Center–Pacific in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He continued his service as a reservist with Submarine Squadron 16 in Georgia and was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant Commander in 1993.

Greg enjoyed a 34-year career at Honeywell, working across multiple divisions including Space and Strategic Avionics in Clearwater, Florida, Satellite Systems in Glendale, Arizona, Commercial Air Systems in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Home and Buildings Division in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He specialized in contract negotiation and development, and he was known for his ability to resolve complex contractual issues. He taught courses on clear legal drafting and took particular satisfaction in negotiating agreements that saved U.S. taxpayers more than $4.5 billion in energy costs while modernizing government facilities.

In retirement, Greg devoted himself to caring for the family dogs, planning travels, and spending time with loved ones. He took great pride in having visited all 50 U.S. states and, on his final trip to Europe, met Renata’s family in Slovakia. An avid golfer, he cherished rounds on the course with friends. He held a special love for Hawaii and found joy in sharing the islands with his family. Above all, Greg was most proud of his children.

He married Renata on November 20, 1993, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Together they raised their daughter Heidi, born in 1997, and their son Jack, born in 1999. Greg and Renata created a loving home centered on family, education, and shared adventures, including memorable trips to Hawaii and several cruises. Both children pursued advanced degrees—Heidi earning a Master of Science in Nursing and Jack a Master of Accountancy—and grew into young adults committed to making the world a better place.

Greg was the middle son of Colonel James E. Geurtz, USAF, and Frances V. Geurtz, both of whom preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Renata, their children Heidi and Jack, and his father-in-law Frank and mother-in-law Dagmar.