Gary passed away in 2002. He was my best friend through high school. I went to Franklin and I believe he went to Irving. We met when we got to Poky. We hunted pheasants and deer together. After my mission I got back with Gary and Bonnie, his wife, in Pocatello. I was around when his daughter and son were born. I held those kids alot. As time went by he moved to Seattle and we sort of drifted apart. After working for the airlines there for years his company was absorbed by a take over company, and he lost his job. He divorced and remarried a woman he absolutely loved. She went through a surgery to try to help her loose weight and passed away on the operating table. He was absolutely destroyed after this. I tracked him down living in Arbon Valley years later. I introduced my two sons to him and we drove around the hills of Arbon. He really loved that place. That was all he had. His health failed him quickly. Jack Kessel was close to him and saw him often. I regret not doing that, as I should have. My wife Lorraine and I tracked him down at his parents home. He was so glad to see us. Lorraine gave him a good hug and he did not want to let go. He said that was the closest he had been to a woman in years!
When the 40th reunion was coming up, Jack and I both tried to talk Gary into coming. We told him we would get him there. He was so embarassed about the way he looked that he declined. Just over a couple months later he died of a heart attack, all alone, in sight of those mountains he loved so much. I miss you Gary.
It is frightening how quickly life passes by. You were a good friend to him then, and you still hold that friendship close. The extra time you took to find out more about his life and death shows that. Thank you for doing that.
We all scattered to our separate lives when we left high school, as is meant to be. We got invested in our chosen mates, our children, homes, careers, and building our own lives. We think back over the good memories and knew/know when life slows down we will give those who influenced our lives a call and tell them how important they are to us. Time does not slowdown; we do.
All too soon, life slips away and we are left with a severe case of the should-ah. would-ah, could-ahs. We should-ah kept in touch: and in a way we did through memories of time we spent together in our most adult-formative years. Memories.
We should-ah made time, but we all had to hew our own place in the world by raising and loving our families, and by telling them the stories of our high school memories and friends. Thank God for our memories.
We could-ah skipped taking the family camping, on a vacation, or visiting and caring for our aging parents and meeting the demands of our careers. None of that mattered because we knew we had a friend who understood that, and who was in that same stage of life. Our memories and stories kept us all connected, caring, and fondly implanted in our heart. Memories of friendships made and sustained fill our being.
That is the highest tribute to give another person. Life may not gone as we once dreamed it would, but the importance of existence and being remembered with fondness is the gift we all give and will all take with us. How blessed we have been to know that the Class of 61 was, and is, composed of such great people! Thank you, all, for the impact you have had on my life. In Memory...absolutely!
Gene Dressen
Gary passed away in 2002. He was my best friend through high school. I went to Franklin and I believe he went to Irving. We met when we got to Poky. We hunted pheasants and deer together. After my mission I got back with Gary and Bonnie, his wife, in Pocatello. I was around when his daughter and son were born. I held those kids alot. As time went by he moved to Seattle and we sort of drifted apart. After working for the airlines there for years his company was absorbed by a take over company, and he lost his job. He divorced and remarried a woman he absolutely loved. She went through a surgery to try to help her loose weight and passed away on the operating table. He was absolutely destroyed after this. I tracked him down living in Arbon Valley years later. I introduced my two sons to him and we drove around the hills of Arbon. He really loved that place. That was all he had. His health failed him quickly. Jack Kessel was close to him and saw him often. I regret not doing that, as I should have. My wife Lorraine and I tracked him down at his parents home. He was so glad to see us. Lorraine gave him a good hug and he did not want to let go. He said that was the closest he had been to a woman in years!
When the 40th reunion was coming up, Jack and I both tried to talk Gary into coming. We told him we would get him there. He was so embarassed about the way he looked that he declined. Just over a couple months later he died of a heart attack, all alone, in sight of those mountains he loved so much. I miss you Gary.
Gene Dressen
I didn't know Gary's passing date so I took a few minutes and found out it was 27 July 2002, at Arbon, Idaho. I still miss the guy. Gene
Sharon Wilde (Marler)
It is frightening how quickly life passes by. You were a good friend to him then, and you still hold that friendship close. The extra time you took to find out more about his life and death shows that. Thank you for doing that.
We all scattered to our separate lives when we left high school, as is meant to be. We got invested in our chosen mates, our children, homes, careers, and building our own lives. We think back over the good memories and knew/know when life slows down we will give those who influenced our lives a call and tell them how important they are to us. Time does not slowdown; we do.
All too soon, life slips away and we are left with a severe case of the should-ah. would-ah, could-ahs. We should-ah kept in touch: and in a way we did through memories of time we spent together in our most adult-formative years. Memories.
We should-ah made time, but we all had to hew our own place in the world by raising and loving our families, and by telling them the stories of our high school memories and friends. Thank God for our memories.
We could-ah skipped taking the family camping, on a vacation, or visiting and caring for our aging parents and meeting the demands of our careers. None of that mattered because we knew we had a friend who understood that, and who was in that same stage of life. Our memories and stories kept us all connected, caring, and fondly implanted in our heart. Memories of friendships made and sustained fill our being.
That is the highest tribute to give another person. Life may not gone as we once dreamed it would, but the importance of existence and being remembered with fondness is the gift we all give and will all take with us. How blessed we have been to know that the Class of 61 was, and is, composed of such great people! Thank you, all, for the impact you have had on my life. In Memory...absolutely!