Eldred Gary Maggi
Sept. 2, 1940 — Feb. 5, 2023

Eldred Gary Maggi, 82 of Berthoud passed away in hospice at Longmont United Hospital on Feb. 5, 2023. Eldred (went by Gary) was born Sept. 2, 1940, in Denver, Colo., to Eldred Oliver and Carrie Elizabeth Shue-Maggi. Gary graduated from West High School in Denver in 1958 and then earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from CSU in Ft. Collins in 1963. Gary went to work for the Great Western Sugar Company after college and spent his entire career in the sugar industry. He was the Chief Process Engineer for Western Sugar Company when he retired in 1998.
Gary’s work with Great Western Sugar brought them to Loveland where he worked as the Factory Engineer at the Loveland sugar plant.
In retirement, Gary continued his engineering career as a consultant for Divide Constructors of Berthoud and designed suspension bridges and conveyor systems for quarrying operations. Many of his designs can still be seen spanning the South Platte and Colorado Rivers.
Gary (nicknamed Sweed by his childhood friends) spent his life as an avid outdoorsman, passionate about hunting and fishing. He loved camping with his family and friends and instilled a love of the outdoors in his children. Gary’s outdoor adventures included backpacking in the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming for decades, fishing the Miracle Mile as often as possible and elk and deer hunting with his friends and son. For many years, Gary hunted ducks and geese in the sedimentary ponds he designed for the sugar factory in Loveland (now the Coulson gravel pits in southeast Loveland). Later in life, he discovered a love for salmon fishing in Alaska and enjoyed many expeditions with his college buddies Paul and Jery and longtime friend Bob.
Gary and Marian were married in 1965 in Denver. Their daughter, Wynne, was born in 1966 and son Gary Paul in 1968.
In 1975, Gary and Marian built their family home west of Berthoud, where they lived until 2016 and then moved into town. In his later life, Gary enjoyed puzzling, spending time with his children, wife and grandkids, appreciating the fine artwork of his daughter Wynne and playing cards with old and new friends.
Gary is survived by Marian — his wife of 58 years, Wynne and son-in-law Steve Byers of Berthoud, son Gary Paul and daughter-in-law Misha of Berthoud, grandchildren Ariel Emby-Goodwine (Wynne) and husband Keenan of Lafayette, Emma Maggi-Byers of NYC (Wynne), Maryn Maggi and Nathan Maggi (Gary Paul) of Berthoud and his dog Sam.
A Celebration of Gary’s life will be held at Brookside Garden Event Center in Berthoud on March 1 from 1-4 p.m. Flannel shirts and jeans are the dress code.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the E. Gary Maggi Memorial Fund go to www.nocofoundation.org/philanthropists/donate/, or by mail to the Community Foundation to 4745 Wheaton Dr., Fort Collins, CO, 80525. Please include in the Memo field “E. Gary Maggi Memorial Fund”.