Gary was born July 17, 1952, the son of George and Dorothy Gardenour. He married his childhood sweetheart Kathleen Smith on August 19, 1971. Together they enjoyed nearly 50 years of marriage. As a freelance photographer, he enjoyed capturing friends and family's special moments. Gary spent many years working at Johnsons Technology retiring on August 1, 2012. He loved fireworks (“fire in the hole”), enjoyed camping, anything “cowboy (especially John Wayne),” fishing, and a good practical joke. He was one of a kind with a heart of gold and will be deeply missed.
Gary is survived by his wife, Kathleen; daughters, Christina (Jason Woodring) Homer, and Dawn (David) Cook; grandchildren, Johnathon, Gabriel, and Brock; brother, Curt (Joann) Gardenour; sister, Wendy (Kirk) Swanson; and sister-in-law, Gloria McDonald.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and son-in-law, Lee Homer Jr.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, at Ever Rest Funeral Home and Cremation Chapel, 1783 E Keating Avenue Muskegon. Visitation will take place prior to the service from 2-4 pm.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pound Buddies animal shelter and adoption center, 3279 E. Laketon Ave. Muskegon, MI 49442.