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Classmates,
Gary very unfortunately is no longer with us. Below is from Gary's daughter, Lisa.
EDIT-With a heavy heart I want to let everyone know my Dad passed early Thursday morning 💔
I am writing to inform my father's old friends that his absence from Facebook is a result of his diagnosis with Alzheimer's and dementia several years ago. He has maintained a positive attitude over the years, despite losing the ability to perform everyday tasks such as using a computer. Almost two weeks ago, we received devastating news. We initially suspected a possible stroke, but instead, we were informed that his entire body is afflicted with cancer. We have chosen to bring him home for his final days to be with my mother, with whom he recently celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary while in the hospital. According to the hospice, his prognosis is limited, with only days or, if fortunate, a week left. I will let you know when he passes.
Lisa
Daddy’s Girl
Gary (nickname Walter), You will be missed by so many. May you be in a better place and just know that your family, your friends and your RHS65 classmates will always remember you!
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Robert Worley
Gary was a good friend from 8th grade at Dimmit Jr High. We all were part of the Skyway guys including Gary, Kenny Foster, the Packards, Mike White, Sid Shong, Tom Sepanen and Jerry Mullin from Lakeridge. What very fun simple innocent times. Spent a fair amount of time at Gary's house. Gary had wonderful accepting parents. A great family. Many fond memories with Gary. Although we lost touch after high school we remained life long friends and renewed our friendship at the RHS 65 reunions. Deepest condolences to Gary's family.Helen Shamek
Sending condolences to Gary's family. He was a beloved member of the RHS '65 class family and will be greatly missed.
Jerry Mullin
As Bob Worley previously said Gary was a great friend with the Skyway/Lakeridge boys. But I'm sure many of you have heard Gary being called Walt. So here goes the story of how Gary got his nickname. As many of you know Gary stuttered pretty bad in his Jr. High and High School years and into his young adulthood. Well sometime shortly after high school Gary went to work for Lockheed Shipbuilding. It was Gary's first day on the job and he didn't have any idea where to report to and was wandering around the yard. A guy whom we will call Bill saw Gary roaming around and so he comes up to Gary to see if he can be of any help. And he says to Gary, "Hi, I'm Bill what's your name?" Now remember Gary is pretty nervous and when he's nervous stutters pretty bad. So Gary stutters "Well, well, well, well"! And Bill then puts out his hand for a handshake and says, "Glad to meet ya Walt"! And that's how Gary got his nickname of Walt or more affectionaly as Walter. So all of his buddies, me included, teased Gary and called him Walt or Walter. And Gary always took his nickname with humor and grace. But the story ends well as Gary eventually became the Ballard store manager of Les Schwab, cured his stuttering problem and even did a tv commercial for Les Schwab. Gary you were one of a kind, a great guy, and will be missed by me and many, many more!
Mike Shannon
Sorry to hear of Gary's passing. I met Gary at Skyway elementary. We played a lot together as kids. I did not see much of him after high school.
I did run into him at a Pioneer Fire Festival. He was involved with the Last Resort Fire Department.
I enjoyed seeing him at the reunions. Got to renew our friendship a bit.
RIP Gary.
Dick Mills
I knew the whole gang mentioned above,and have intersting story...Gary and I both attended skyway elementary from first grade. We had a friendly, yet sometimes feisty "friendship," as young boys often do. In about 4th or 5th gradeGary and I got in an argument, words flew, tempers flared and I challnged him to a fist fight. He beat me up, I cried, I was humbed, and after that Gary and I as boys often do were best buds after that.
We stayed friends, I often ate lunch at his house just 1/2 block behind skyway elementary, and I also ate lunch with Kenny Foster, and Mike Shannon, at their homes, et al. We both attended the brand new Dimmitt Jr. High, and were part of the first 7th gade, and when it was completwd two years later, the first 9th graders.
It was great to see Gary at the 50th, along with so many I knew throughout school, including my lifelong friends that all went to RHS, though it was heaert breaking when my family moved from skyway to kent in my second semester of high school, and I ended up, like Laurette Lund and her sister Kaye, opponents of RHS. As Bob Worley Mike Shannon, Jerry Mullins shared, those wwre the "Wonder Years, of the 50's and 60's.
Blessings to all of you still around, you had an impact, 99% posirive, on me as I stumbled through adolescence.
I'm still growing up! Take care.
Kathleen Maxwell (Osthus)
When I first met the Skyway/Lakeridge/Bryn Mawr kids in the seventh grade, I never realized the impact they would have on my life, along with the Benson Hill and the Highlands kids. It is 67 years later and I still cherish each one of them.
It wasn't long before this combined group of kids started meeting up at the Rainier Theatre in Renton. To say that we were the bane of the Fey's exiatance doesn't do it justice.
I invited many of these kids to my 7th grade birthday. Little did I know that this was just one of the many crazy times to come. One day, soon after the party several of the boys were not in school. We were bused from the Benson to Dimmitt Jr. High and it was probably an eight mile commute across the valley and up the hill.
Anyway, when I got off the bus, I saw Tom Sepanen, Gary Peterson, Sid Shong, and Bill Packard sittng on the front porch. I later learned that they weren't there to see me. It seems that Sid had a crush on my big sister. What?
When Gary was dating Connie Nichols, he and Bill Packard wanted to make dinner for all of us at his house. Our parents dropped us off and we had a lovely dinner. It wasn't until 60 years later that Gary finally confessed that his mother cooked the diner and then slipped out the door to visit a neighbor while we thought we were being so grown up.
We all have so many memories of those guys. When a group of us were going to Tolo, Gary picked me up and he had somehow managed to get a large cut on his upper arm that bleeding profusly. We stopped off at the old Renton Hospital on the way to RHS and they stitched him up. Those were certainly simpler times.
After graduatiion, we all went our separate ways. However, when we have our class reunions we were all 18 again and it is like we were never apart.
Gary was such a kind, gentle person. Rest in Peace, dearest friend. We will nevver forget you. Maxwell