GARY HORPEDAHL Jan 10, 1949 – Aug. 1, 2025
Gary Horpedahl passed away at his home in Walnut Creek, CA on Aug. 1, 2025, at the age of 76. His sudden passing has left us all shocked and very sad.
Born Jan. 10, 1949, to LeRoy Horpedahl and Alice Horpedahl (nee Hammett), Gary was raised in Los Alamos, New Mexico where his father worked as an engineer and project manager at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Gary graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1967 and went to Honduras for the summer to build homes through the Lutheran Church.
Gary received his BA in American History from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA and Masters in Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
After a brief time in San Francisco, Gary was called to serve at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sacramento, where he made his home and raised two children. During his tenure there, he played a pivotal role in founding St. John’s Shelter for Women and Children, a vital resource for vulnerable populations in the community. His ministry continued as he went on to lead several other congregations in the area, including New Hope Lutheran Church, St. Mary Mother of God Lutheran Church, and First English Lutheran Church.
Halfway through his career, Gary left the church to work for the state of California. He eventually retired as Chief of Surveillance Quality Management at the Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS, collaborating with government agencies, local health jurisdictions, universities, and community-based organizations to ensure efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic were targeted and effective.
Gary spent his retirement at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, CA, where he found great joy in community life. He served as co-chair of the Democrats’ Book Club and was recently selected to be a 2nd vice president of the Democrats of Rosmoor. He also coordinated tournaments for the Billiards Club and proudly captained his bocce ball team. His days were filled with golf, winemaking, and reading — passions he cherished deeply.
As we reflect on Gary’s life, we remember him for his warm and welcoming spirit, his steadfast commitment to social justice and equality, and his love of good food, cigars, books, and wine. A curious traveler with a deep appreciation for people and cultures, Gary explored many countries throughout Central America and Europe. One of his most meaningful journeys was in 2022, when he traveled to Norway to visit his grandfather’s farm and reconnect with extended family — a trip that brought his heritage to life in a powerful way.
Gary is survived by his mother, Alice Horpedahl, his brothers David Horpedahl and Paul Horpedahl (Lynne Horpedahl), his children Elizabeth Horpedahl (Eli Ketchum) and Ben Horpedahl (Faith Conley), and his grandchildren Noah Horpedahl and Marlee Horpedahl, as well as former wives, Kate Daby-Horpedahl and Julie Horpedahl, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Kristine Horpedahl and father LeRoy Horpedahl.
In lieu of flowers, Gary would be honored by a donation in his name to Amnesty International (amnestyusa.org) or Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org). A celebration of life will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Los Alamos on Saturday, August 16th at 10:00 AM. The service will be available on Zoom. Another service will be held where he lived, in Walnut Creek, CA at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Dollar Clubhouse, 1015 Stanley Dollar Drive.
Anyone wishing to attend who is not a Rossmoor resident is required to RSVP by Sept. 1, at https://bit.ly/gbhorp110.