Gary Steven Rubenstein

Born on October 12, 1938 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon, Gary had lived the last 23 years in Arizona, but was forever an Oregon Duck. He attended Edison and Dunn elementary, Wilson Junior High, and graduated from the then brand-new Eugene High School, as a member of the first class in 1956. He attended the University of Oregon for his freshman and sophomore years, but graduated in 1960 from the University of Southern California. Gary also served in the Oregon National Guard from 1961 - ’68.

Gary married Eileen Charkow on September 2, 1962, and they shared 61 wonderful years together until her death in 2024. Gary is survived by his son, Greg, two grandchildren, Isaac and Eve, and two younger brothers, Larry and Joe. Besides Eileen, Gary was preceded in death by his daughter, Lynda, in 2016, as well as her son, Kenya Hadjouti, in 2023. Gary’s older brother, Robert, also died in 2016.

Although he worked in the family furniture business after graduating with his Bachelor’s Degree, he was an entrepreneur at heart, and owned/operated several successful small businesses in Eugene for decades, including the Plane Travelers Shoppe at the Eugene Airport, as well as The Fifth Street Greenery, in the Fifth Street Public Market.

Both Eileen and Gary were very active in Eugene Kid Sports programs, sponsoring and coaching basketball, baseball and softball teams, and in 1977 - ‘78, Gary served as president of Eugene Kids Sports.

Gary and Eileen also enjoyed University of Oregon sports and were season ticket holders for basketball and football, and Gary was also an avid track fan, volunteering as an official at numerous Oregon and Olympic Trials track and field events.

In 2003, Gary and Eileen retired and moved to Chandler, Arizona, to be near their children and grandchildren. In Arizona Gary attended and graduated from the Maricopa County Judicial training program and was appointed as a Hearing Officer for both Civil Traffic Court and Small Claims Court, and served these courts for the next 10 years, retiring in 2018. Also in 2018, Gary and Eileen moved from Chandler to the Sun Lakes retirement community, where he lived until moving into Parkland Memory Care in 2024.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Gary with a donation in his memory to the HonorHealth Neuroscience Institute, at: HonorHealthFoundation.org/Alzheimers