KU community remembers university carpenter Gunter de Vries

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas community is remembering carpenter Gunter de Vries, 71, who died Aug. 4.

“On behalf of the entire university community, I extend my sincere condolences to Gunter de Vries’ family, friends and colleagues at KU,” said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.

A native of Aurich, Ostfriesland, Germany, de Vries began working as a carpenter in Zone 4 for Facilities Services in 2005 and recently had been on leave.

Tommy Wood, Zone 4 manager, said de Vries had a story for just about everything they were doing and always came into work with a smile on his face.

“My fondest memory of Gunter was at last Christmas,” Wood said. “For our potluck, we wanted to get turkey and ham, and we figured out how much each person was going to need to chip in. He came up to me later and gave me 60 dollars. He said, ‘Keep this between you and me — the guys don’t need to know.’  I think that sums him up right there.”

An open house and remembrance for de Vries took place Aug. 10 in Lawrence.