Gary was born on December 15, 1947. He resided in Texas until 1984, when his work in financial management with Joskes of Texas eventually took him to Des Moines, IA as Controller for Younkers Department Stores. It was there he met and married his wife Diane in 1987. They received Christ the same year and soon afterward, the Lord took them to Hattiesburg, MS for employment. By an act of providence, they stepped into the wrong church building one Sunday morning, and the former PCA Stated Clerk, L. Roy Taylor was preaching! Roy was eventually used by God to help the Hitzfelds find their church home in the PCA.
The Lord called Gary and Diane to full-time administrative ministry at a missions conference at First Presbyterian Church where Gary was ordained an Elder, having served previously as Chairman of the Diaconate. In 1999, they sold their home in Hattiesburg and moved to the Atlanta, GA area, raising support to work for Dr. Archie Parrish and Serve International, Inc. The Hitzfelds helped Dr. Parrish develop the Kingdom Campaign Prayer Training materials (www.Kingdomprayer.org), and Gary assisted Archie with prayer conferences around the country.
When Archie retired as MNA Coordinator for Church Vitality, Dave Peterson was serving as the MNA Chaplain Ministries Coordinator, had a vacancy on his staff, and hired Gary in 2004 as his Administrative Assistant. Gary continues to serve in that capacity, working from their small ranchito and vineyard outside of Cuero, TX, near San Antonio. His wife Diane recently retired from serving as the Communications Director for Desire Street Ministries. In their free time, they enjoy their dogs and cat.
