Gary Lee Smalling

Gary was born in Tucson, Arizona on July 11, 1952 to Fred and Evelena Smalling. He was a graduate of Tucson High School and Pima Community College.

He was a gifted builder and licensed contractor who constructed houses throughout his life, including his own home, under his company name GLS Custom Homes. Gary also worked many years in the mining and heavy equipment industry, ending his career as a Maintenance Supervisor at ASARCO, where he was affectionately known as “Truck Shop Gary”.

Gary enjoyed breakfast for dinner, burnt chocolate chip cookies, everything spicy, Seagram’s 7&7s, a good steak, hot coffee, playing pranks, dad jokes, new tools, Indy racing, well-worn Levi’s, ball caps, cowboy boots, white New Balance tennis shoes, riding horses and playing with his beloved dog, Bene. His favorite place in the universe was at home in his recliner with his iPad and a good snack. But most of all, Gary loved and was loved back by his big, loud, boisterous family who will feel his absence forever and will miss him infinitely.

Gary is survived by his wife, Deborah Smalling, by his children, Maile (Jack) James, Michael (Angie Munger) Smalling, Megan Helser, and Samantha (Ben Hoover) Smalling, and by his grandchildren, Chloe Smalling, Mia Smalling, Michael Tyler Smalling, Joseph James-Eisenberg, Lylah Fox and Liam Fox.

A Celebration of Life is planned for May 20th, with a private family service to follow at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations or tribute gifts be made in Gary’s memory to the American Heart Association at https://www.heart.org/donate and/or to the Tucson Wildlife Center at tucsonwildlife.com under the donation tab.

ALWAYS LOVED, NEVER FORGOTTEN, FOREVER MISSED