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Gary was almost 14 when I was born, so I didn't have much of a relationship with him. I remember him teasing me mercilessly when was a wee little thing. He'd toss me around and hang me upside down, or hide in the basement and pretend he was a monster. He was one of the best swing pushers in the world. He is a Marine (no such thing as an ex Marine or "was in the Marines"), so he would only come home two or three times a year and he was on active duty from 1973-1980. He loved my mom and made a point of coming to visit. He, like other members of my family, could never break the habit of calling me Pammy. When I got married, I don't think he could wrap his mind around the fact that Pammy was a grown-up.:)
He was always a smart ass with a can of beer in one hand and a fishing rod in the other. He loved to hunt game and deer, too. He never left an in injured animal to die if he could help it and made sure he used all the edible and (non-edible when he could) and shared it with his friends and family to make sure it wasn't wasted.
He was a gifted welder and worked for two employers an did work on the side because he love it so much.
I know he had chronic stomach pain from ulcers, so when the pain increased he blew it off. My brother called me about a month ago telling me that Gary had terminal stomach cancer and his doctor estimated he had about 3-6 months left. He was being treated at the Milwaukee VA hospital and didn't want visitors.
The funeral was interesting because he and the family insisted it be casual dress only. All of his friends, mostly rough looking biker-type guys, co workers made sure to follow the request happily.
He had the full Marine honors including the gun salute. I think that's when most of us started to tear up. The clergy person gave a little talk and then a song was played at the request of his sister and brothers. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Kinda corny but it was perfect. I noticed my brother crying through most of the ceremony and tears really let go when the song played. My brother knew Gary quite well because they deer hunted together.
Blessed be, Gary. I'm sure the hunting and fishing will fabulous up there.
He was always a smart ass with a can of beer in one hand and a fishing rod in the other. He loved to hunt game and deer, too. He never left an in injured animal to die if he could help it and made sure he used all the edible and (non-edible when he could) and shared it with his friends and family to make sure it wasn't wasted.
He was a gifted welder and worked for two employers an did work on the side because he love it so much.
I know he had chronic stomach pain from ulcers, so when the pain increased he blew it off. My brother called me about a month ago telling me that Gary had terminal stomach cancer and his doctor estimated he had about 3-6 months left. He was being treated at the Milwaukee VA hospital and didn't want visitors.
The funeral was interesting because he and the family insisted it be casual dress only. All of his friends, mostly rough looking biker-type guys, co workers made sure to follow the request happily.
He had the full Marine honors including the gun salute. I think that's when most of us started to tear up. The clergy person gave a little talk and then a song was played at the request of his sister and brothers. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Kinda corny but it was perfect. I noticed my brother crying through most of the ceremony and tears really let go when the song played. My brother knew Gary quite well because they deer hunted together.
Blessed be, Gary. I'm sure the hunting and fishing will fabulous up there.
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He was blessed to know you & you were blessed to know him
The fact he will be missed places him into immortality
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