Josh Gartner

osh Gartner
September 17, 1975 - November 29, 2021
Sacramento, California - Josh Gartner died in Sacramento on November 29. He was 46.
He was born in Paradise and raised in Chico, where he forged several close, lifelong friendships. After high school he went on to Whitman College, where he met Corinne Hagar. They married in 2003 and settled in Sacramento, where they raised two sons, Graham, 13, and Adam, 9. The family loved to travel; the Monterey Bay Area was a favorite spot, as was any place with trails to hike. They enjoyed the simple pleasures of life together: taking walks around their neighborhood in North Natomas, swimming in their backyard pool, watching favorite TV shows and YouTube channels, relaxing with their cats, cooking together, and eating dinner as a family every night. Josh was a devoted husband and father. He enjoyed roughhousing with his boys, introducing them to sports and the outdoors, teaching them practical skills, and sharing his inquisitiveness and thirst for knowledge and understanding about science and the natural world.
Josh loved nature, having spent his youth fishing and swimming in Northern California creeks and working on his grandfather's rural property. In college he explored the mountains of Oregon and Washington, as well as the French countryside during a year abroad. He loved any place where clear water flowed over granite, in particular the spectacular canyons of the North Fork of the American River.
He always had a hobby he was passionate about – creative writing, photography, bread and pizza making, playing guitar, paragliding, ultimate frisbee, coffee, mushroom foraging, and more. He threw himself into those pursuits with great intensity, researching and practicing until he excelled. All who knew him appreciated his intellect, his sense of humor, and his insights and deep curiosity about the world, and about human relationships and interactions.
Josh took up whitewater kayaking around 2013, soon becoming a skilled paddler whom others trusted on the most challenging stretches of water. Companions marveled at his preparation, remarking that he could describe a rapid he had never seen before as though he'd run it multiple times. He took pride in having conquered some iconic class V runs, but his favorite was Giant Gap on the North Fork.
He was a regular volunteer on the electrical crew of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, where he quickly became skilled in residential wiring. This led him down the path toward becoming a licensed electrician. His diligence, proficiency and personal style endeared him to his clients and colleagues.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rick Gartner and Kathy Gartner of Chico. He is survived by Corinne, Graham and Adam and his Grandfather Eugene Ringel. He is gone far too soon, and will be missed dearly and remembered fondly by his family and many close friends from every stage of his life.
A celebration of his life will be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento.