Friends and family gathered on Saturday Oct. 26 to pay their respects to former Roundup photographer Gary Moratz, who died at 47.
Moratz, who was a part of the Roundup during the fall semester of 2009, died on Oct. 5 of respiratory arrest.
Moratz was described by family and friends as a happy, honest and friendly person, who would never want a problem with anyone and was quick to solve any dispute he may have had with any person.
“You’ll never find anyone that has an issue with him,” said Moratz childhood friend, Walter Rodriguez. “He would like to sit down with you and talk it over.”
Former Media Arts Department professor Stephanie Stassel Bluestein described Moratz as energetic and hard working and recalled the time Moratz covered the student body government.
“He wrote more than was expected of him,” said Stassel Bluestein. “He approached it with passion and vigor.”
Friends and family all agreed that when Moratz set his sights on anythings he would pursue it with a ferocious passion. They recalled his fascination with rockets and insects.
Guests at the memorial were asked to wear bright colors and hawaiian shirts in honor of Moratz’s love of sunsets and Hawaii.
The memorial closed with friends and family singing one of Moratz’s favorite songs, “Come Sail Away” by the famous rock band Styx.
