Carl W. Gavach, 90, of Columbia, born Sept. 16, 1934, in East St. Louis to the late Rudolph and Antonia Gavach,  died peacefully at home March 14, 2025, in Columbia.

Carl was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who always cherished the times that were spent together.  

He proudly served in the United States Coast Guard for four years and 11 days (it was important for him to include the 11 days) as a Commissary Man stationed in Sault Ste. Marie on the Great Lakes, often saying those were some of the best years of his life. He received his Honorable Discharge in August 1958. 

Serving his country led him to meeting the love of his life Brenda, as she was living in Muskegon Mich. They married soon after and eventually moved back to East St. Louis, then to Columbia, where they lived the rest of their lives.  He has many stories about the work they did while he served, but also funny stories about his life aboard ship.

He loved gardening, reading and cooking, and he was a great cook. Not only will the family miss his Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams and ham gravy (phenomenal), but he also was the chief barbequer for the church picnics, and many people have said that his bbqed chicken and pork steaks were some of the best they have ever tasted.

Carl had a lifelong love of learning and had read many books on mathematics, electrical and mechanical engineering, etc. He could fix just about anything. He was a biblical scholar and teacher and taught Sunday School for many years.  

He loved trying new foods. When he, Brenda along with Toni and Bret were able to travel to Europe twice, visiting France, England, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, he not only loved seeing the castles, monuments and palaces, but trying the interesting food. He loved the family trips to Michigan when the family was growing up, going either at Christmas time or the summer time.  He loved fishing at his in-laws cottage with his girls, and this is where Laurie developed her passion for fishing.

Over the years he started having great-grandchildren and loved spending time with them also. His favorite activities to do with them was teaching them to make paper airplanes, which he was exceptionally good at, and he recently asked his daughter Kellie to get heavier stock paper so he could make several planes to give to the kids.

Carl had a soft spot for little ones and animals, and even though he could have a gruff exterior, he was sometimes the one even the shyest of little ones gravitated to. 

He and Brenda spent their nights watching various TV game shows and their love for ice hockey began when three of their grandsons began playing.  This led to Carl and Brenda to become fans of the St. Louis Blues.    

In his later years, one of the things he loved the most was watching Hallmark movies, especially Christmas ones.  He even had a Hallmark watching blanket!

Surviving are his children Debra (Robert) Hillyer, Kellie Graves and Toni (Bret) Steffenauer; 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; son-in-law Donald Whitehouse; sisters-in-law Evelyn Wheeler and Claudia (Jack) Sturtevant; and brother-in-law Robert (Margie) Smith.

As well as his parents, Carl was preceded in death by his dear, loving wife Brenda A. Gavach; daughter Laurie Whitehouse;  and brothers Rudolph Gavach, Steve Gavach and Emil Gavach.

Visitation is 11 a.m. to noon March 21 at Leesman Funeral Home Columbia.

A funeral service will follow visitation at the funeral home with Pastor Paul Rose officiating. 

Interment will be in the Kolmer Memorial Cemetery, Waterloo.  

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to: BJC Hospice; or Life Network of Southern Illinois. Waterloo.