By BOB SHRALUKA<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WZBD.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gary Giessler, who launched the Bellmont High School wrestling program in 1962 at Decatur High School, died this morning at Woodcrest in Decatur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His wife, Deb, posted the following on Facebook Friday morning: \u201cThank you to all that have been there with cards, texts and prayers. The end came. Gary lived a great life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gary had been battling illness for the past year or so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The longtime principal at Southeast Elementary School in Decatur had served on the North Adams School Board and had been involved in the athletic department at Adams Central.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was a 1955 graduate of North Side High School in Fort Wayne and Ball State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was among honorees at a special ceremony held last December prior to a Bellmont wrestling match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gary once famously said: \u201cSome people think wrestling is a big thing in Decatur, like a matter of life or death. But that\u2019s not true. It\u2019s more important than that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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