Gary Hurlbert Pusey

Gary was born to Nellie C. (Golden) and George H. Pusey on October 2, 1934, in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. He was an only child.

As a child, Gary resided with his family in Glenns Ferry. In 1943, after the United States entered World War II, Gary’s father joined the Navy and was ultimately stationed in San Diego. Not long after, when Gary was nine years old, he and his mother relocated to San Diego. Eventually the family settled in what is now the City Heights section of San Diego.

Gary battled cerebral palsy from birth, but never allowed it to define him. He attended the Sunshine School in San Diego for several years as a child and young teenager. It was there that he first met a girl named Mary O’Connor, who spent several months of the 1951–52 school year at the school while recovering from her second bout of rheumatic fever. Gary went on to graduate from E. R. Snyder Continuation High School in 1955 and subsequently landed a job as a gardener for the San Diego City Schools.

It was in 1956 that Gary attended a Sunshine School reunion and became reacquainted with his former classmate, Mary O’Connor. Over the next year, Gary wooed Mary. The couple fell in love and became engaged. They were married at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in San Diego on October 4, 1958 and honeymooned throughout northern California.

The newlyweds briefly rented an apartment on Georgia Street before purchasing a two-bedroom house in early 1959 on Gayle Street in what is now the Redwood Village neighborhood of San Diego. Over the next four decades, Gary and Mary renovated the house extensively: converting the garage into a third bedroom, adding a spacious family room, and eventually building a backyard workshop. The couple cultivated a diverse assortment of trees and shrubs.

Gary fathered four children with Mary, all boys, three of whom survived infancy. He truly enjoyed fatherhood and was enthusiastically involved in many activities with all three of his sons as they grew up, including a long stint as scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 942.

Through it all, Gary worked tirelessly as a gardener for the City Schools, plus extra landscaping jobs in the evenings and on weekends to earn additional money to support his family. When he finally retired in 1996 after 40 years, he had accumulated over 2,000 hours of unused sick leave.

In 2000, he and Mary purchased a much larger four-bedroom house with more land on Echo Drive in La Mesa. Over the ensuing decade, the couple embarked upon numerous renovations to turn their “retirement” home into their dream home. Here they cultivated an even more diverse assortment of trees, shrubs, and flowers.

Gary was an avid traveler, taking numerous trips over the years throughout the United States and Canada by train, plane, and automobile. He and Mary twice drove across the country to the east coast. Gary estimated that he and Mary together visited 37 states over the course of their 54 year marriage.

Gary was an exuberant sports fan, whether the game be baseball, football, golf, or tennis. He passionately cheered on the San Diego Padres for 54 seasons.

Gary is survived by his three sons: Michael of Broomfield, Colorado; John (Laura Dermer) of Cos Cob, Connecticut; and Brian (Monica) of Lemon Grove; four grandchildren: Natalie Vimont (Isaac) of Broomfield, Colorado; Benjamin of Littleton, Colorado; and George and Brianna of Lemon Grove; two great-grandsons: Oliver and Daniel Vimont of Broomfield, Colorado; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; and his cherished canine and feline companions: Misty, Taffy, Thomas, and Rosie.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Mark Joseph; and his beloved bride, Mary.

La familia desea reconocer el extraordinario amor y cuidado que la familia Hernández ha brindado a nuestro padre durante los últimos diez años. ¡Muchas gracias, Lupe, Ricky, Alan y Raúl! Nosotros tres hermanos estamos eternamente agradecidos.

The family welcomes memorial donations to the San Diego Humane Society (www.sdhumane.org).

Graveside service and burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, August 21, at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum. There will be a Celebration of Life following at 2 p.m. in the Links Room at Chula Vista Golf Course.