Leroy Herbert Gutknecht

Leroy (Nick) Gutknecht was born on September 25, 1931, on the family farm in rural Iowa. As the only child of Martha and Herbert Gutknecht, there were great hopes of him continuing the life of a farmer. Nick's dreams, however, led him to a different path. After high school, he enlisted in the Air Force where he became a Master Sergeant at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. During this time, he became enamored with the California hot rod scene. This experience fueled his life-long love of anything ""cool', especially if it had four wheels and went fast. He brought that ""cool"" feel to many of the items that he touched throughout his designing career including: go-karts, tractors, dragsters, gaming equipment, and amusement rides.

A 45-year resident of Las Vegas, Nick loved all the sights and sounds that made Las Vegas famous. His inventive mind kept him active by always designing, redesigning, and imagining a cleaner look in nearly everything he saw. A long-time friend and co-worker eloquently stated ""Nick was a true inventor. He was head and shoulders above all the other inventors, scientists, and engineers that I have ever known. I have and always will hold great respect for (Nick) for his dedication and focus on whatever he put his attention on."" Nick's passion was contagious; his natural charm, style, and God-given talents helped him transfer his passion to everyone he met. Nick's unique sense of style and design left his mark making this world just a little bit ""cooler"".

Nick left us on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at the age of 86. He is survived by LaRee Gutknecht Hollenbach (divorced), his children Debi (Tom Crossley) Gutknecht and Mike (Marie) Gutknecht, Suzy Delzer (divorced), and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at Community Lutheran Church located at 3720 E Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. In memory of Nick and in lieu of flowers, please raise a glass and have fun with those you love.

Service

Memorial Service

Community Lutheran Church
3720 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, NV  89121
Thursday, December 21, 2017
12:00 PM