Joseph Gurtler

Joseph Kai Gurtler was born on March 11, 1997, in Safford, Arizona, to Terrin Bull & Jeffery Gurtler. Kai was, and will always be remembered by those that knew him, as energetic, enthusiastic, curious, devilishly clever, and above all, generous young man. Kai’s curiosity routinely led him into ventures of every variety, including stints as a secret shopper, product reviewer, kitchen worker, bartender, firefighter, computer enthusiast, streamer, and eventually following in his father’s footsteps into mining facilities in Arizona. For Kai, every day was an adventure and he regularly sought out ways to make others smile. Examples of this range from childhood when he would play “Jaws,” “Halo,” or his personal favorite, the tune from a cat food commercial on his cello rather than the prescribed music, or as an adult when he ran gaming streams to share his favorite aspects of himself and his games. If he wasn’t behind a screen, you could catch Kai at a bar making people smile with silly antics, fun stories, or the best bar games. He always was the life of the party and the one to brighten a room.   For many who knew him, Kai was a beacon of enthusiasm and positivity with boundless energy. He cherished his relationships with friends, girlfriends, and family, and had a unique ability to reach into the life of someone else and offer help or support without a moment of thought about how it might impact him. He was able to see when others were hurting and provide unique aid. As a toddler, Kai drug his child-sized mattress to his injured cousin in another room to provide physical comfort and as an adult, he would go out of his way to bring someone a piece of cheesecake when they felt bad, be a shoulder to cry on when they had a bad day, and be a smiling face when things were going bad. Kai was always trying his hardest to make everyone around him happy. He would search for any possible way to improve their life, even if it meant foregoing a mattress in favor of the floor or reaching out to be the listening ear. His smile and laughter will always be remembered and cherished. On Sunday, June 5, 2022, Kai passed away at the age of 25.  While he is no longer with us, his infectious positivity and playful attitude remain in the memory of all who knew him. Kai is survived by his older sister, both of his parents, a loving extended family, and an entourage of friends, all of whom will miss him dearly and celebrate the life he lived.