SMITH . Gary R. beloved husband of Christine L. Smith (nee Humphries) loving father of Erica M. (Mark M.) Ober, and Jason R. Smith, step-father of Harry E. Birkley, devoted son of Helen Black and Benjamin M. (Catherine R.) Smith, dear brother of Victoria A. Duvall. March 2, 2005. Age 56 years. Resident Bethel, OH. Service at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church 8101 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp. on Monday, March 7 at 11 A.M. Friends may call at the church on Monday from 10-11 A.M. Memorials to Gift of Life Transplant House 705 Second St. Southwest, Rochester, MN 55902. T. P. White & Sons Funeral Home serving the family.
Gary was a good neighbor and friend. The Kenner family lived next door to the Smith clan...Gary, Vicki, his Dad - Ben and Mother - Helen plus Grandpa Smith. Lots of stories from Grandpa Smith.
I especially remember July 4, 1963...Gary, Jim, and I were setting off "cherry bombs" (purchased in Newport, KY) and tossing them over the hill behind Gary's house. My twin brother Jim accidentally dropped a lighted match into a box of cherry bombs on their picnic table. Of course...we are ran for the hills and our lives thinking there go all the windows in the neighborhood along with our derrières. Fortunately, the fuse fizzed out with no damage to property or ourselves. Needless to say... that was the last stupid thing that any of us ever did :)
Also, I remember Gary, Jim, and I playing lots and lots of basketball at Kenny Burnes home right up the road from us plus football at the farm at the end of Burnes Avenue.
Gary ...you were a wonderful friend and neighbor! Jack & Jim Kenner
Off and on over the years Gary, Maria and the kids would come down to our camp on the river and we would camp together. Or if he was just working out in this area he would pop in to visit us from time to time. A few years before he died Gary had remarried a gal named Chris. They had a camper and a boat down on White Oak Creek in Higginsport, just down stream from our place. We had to pass their place to go out onto the river. The 4 of us spent many good times down on the creek, out on our boats and visiting back and forth at each other's camp. Shortly before Gary was diagnosed he had moved out to Bethel and so that meant even more time spent together, often with Dudley and his wife. We were there for Gary's surprise 50th birthday party, sadly he was gone by his 60th. We watched his two beautiful kids grow up and become adults. We were there when his daughter Erica got married. She was pregnant with Gary's first grandchild when he died. His son Jason would have made him proud by going in to the service. It was a long time before Greg and I could pass his camp site and not automatically look over to see if Gary and Chris were there yet. I had spent lots of time just talking to him on the phone over the years, he was a good friend in HS but an even better friend afterwards. As Dudley summed it up one day "You two prove that men and women can be best friends without having sex together." ( That's Dudley!) Gary was like a brother to me, he always had my back. Greg served as one of his pallbearers. Gary was one of the nicest guys I ever knew and will forever have a place in my heart, we still miss him.
Daniel Cunningham
SMITH . Gary R. beloved husband of Christine L. Smith (nee Humphries) loving father of Erica M. (Mark M.) Ober, and Jason R. Smith, step-father of Harry E. Birkley, devoted son of Helen Black and Benjamin M. (Catherine R.) Smith, dear brother of Victoria A. Duvall. March 2, 2005. Age 56 years. Resident Bethel, OH. Service at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church 8101 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp. on Monday, March 7 at 11 A.M. Friends may call at the church on Monday from 10-11 A.M. Memorials to Gift of Life Transplant House 705 Second St. Southwest, Rochester, MN 55902. T. P. White & Sons Funeral Home serving the family.
John Kenner
Gary was a good neighbor and friend. The Kenner family lived next door to the Smith clan...Gary, Vicki, his Dad - Ben and Mother - Helen plus Grandpa Smith. Lots of stories from Grandpa Smith.
I especially remember July 4, 1963...Gary, Jim, and I were setting off "cherry bombs" (purchased in Newport, KY) and tossing them over the hill behind Gary's house. My twin brother Jim accidentally dropped a lighted match into a box of cherry bombs on their picnic table. Of course...we are ran for the hills and our lives thinking there go all the windows in the neighborhood along with our derrières. Fortunately, the fuse fizzed out with no damage to property or ourselves. Needless to say... that was the last stupid thing that any of us ever did :)
Also, I remember Gary, Jim, and I playing lots and lots of basketball at Kenny Burnes home right up the road from us plus football at the farm at the end of Burnes Avenue.
Gary ...you were a wonderful friend and neighbor! Jack & Jim Kenner
Lois Burdsal (Sandker)
Off and on over the years Gary, Maria and the kids would come down to our camp on the river and we would camp together. Or if he was just working out in this area he would pop in to visit us from time to time. A few years before he died Gary had remarried a gal named Chris. They had a camper and a boat down on White Oak Creek in Higginsport, just down stream from our place. We had to pass their place to go out onto the river. The 4 of us spent many good times down on the creek, out on our boats and visiting back and forth at each other's camp. Shortly before Gary was diagnosed he had moved out to Bethel and so that meant even more time spent together, often with Dudley and his wife. We were there for Gary's surprise 50th birthday party, sadly he was gone by his 60th. We watched his two beautiful kids grow up and become adults. We were there when his daughter Erica got married. She was pregnant with Gary's first grandchild when he died. His son Jason would have made him proud by going in to the service. It was a long time before Greg and I could pass his camp site and not automatically look over to see if Gary and Chris were there yet. I had spent lots of time just talking to him on the phone over the years, he was a good friend in HS but an even better friend afterwards. As Dudley summed it up one day "You two prove that men and women can be best friends without having sex together." ( That's Dudley!) Gary was like a brother to me, he always had my back. Greg served as one of his pallbearers. Gary was one of the nicest guys I ever knew and will forever have a place in my heart, we still miss him.
Dudley Wulfekotter
Gary was a Vietnam vet and the father of a USMC vet and uncle of a USMC vet that just got marriied on 9/3/16.
The Marines where in dress. I'm sure Gary was proud.
Gary was a great guy who never did anyone wrong.