Gary E. Friend, age 77, was born in 1947 in a little western town in Friendsville, Maryland that was founded by his ancestors from Sweden. The son of Emory and Lucille Friend, by the time he was fifteen he was earning his own living working in his uncle’s grocery store as the meat cutter, delivering mail to the homebound elderly, and mowing lawns.
He met his future wife when they were fourteen in junior high school. After graduation, Gary went to Washington D.C. and learned construction, carpentry, painting, and became a self-taught handyman of various trades. After marriage to Wilma they moved to Fort Wayne where Gary hired in at B.F. Goodrich in 1966.
Gary has one son, Tracey, of Winston-Salem, NC and one daughter, Jill Santos, of Fort Wayne, IN. He is also survived by his grandson, Seth Santos, also of Fort Wayne. Gary has one sister, Lois Friend, of Oakland, MD and one brother, Lyndon, in Virginia.
Retiring after 43 years from Uniroyal Goodrich, Gary enjoyed fishing and golfing with his friends and coworkers.
After fighting the battle of diabetes and non-alcoholic liver disease, Gary passed away peacefully with his wife of 59 years, Wilma, holding his hand.
Visitation will be from 4:00- 8:00 pm Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at D.O. McComb and Sons Maplewood Park Funeral Home 4017 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, IN. Private family committal and interment at Highland Park Cemetery. Charitable donations may be given to the Maplecrest Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses at State Road 37, New Haven, IN 46774.
