Robert Frank Gurnsey, Ii

Robert (“Gurns”) Frank Gurnsey II, passed away in Jacksonville, Florida, on August 24, 2015, after a long and courageous fight with leukemia. Gurns, as he was known to his closest friends and family, was born November 17, 1942, in Manchester, New Hampshire, to Frank Norris Gurnsey and Dorothy Goffe McAllaster. A graduate of the Dublin School in Dublin, N.H., he was an entrepreneur best known as the creator of the paintball industry worldwide. Gurns will be remembered for so many things, too numerous to list here: He was a consummate storyteller; a mentor and coach; an adventurer and avid traveler; a daredevil skier; a sailor who loved the ocean, especially the beauty and challenges of coastal Maine; he was never more at home than behind the wheel of a car and raced professionally for many years; he loved food and was a gourmet cook who adored sharing his culinary creations; he was a fierce and inveterate competitor who would take a bet or a dare on absolutely anything; more than the sum of these things, though, Gurns was a beloved husband, dad, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, and is survived by his wife, Lori Gurnsey of Jacksonville; daughter, Jessica; a son, Jarrod, of Jacksonville, as well as another son and two stepsons; sister, Gail; and niece, Lizabeth. A memorial service, in honor of the paintball community, will be held at Wayne’s World in Ocala, Florida on September 6th at 2pm (waynes-world.com). In lieu of flowers, donations to cover the family’s substantial medical bills are appreciated (bobgurnsey.com), as are donations in Gurns’ name to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (lls.org).