Gary is preceded in death by his spouse, Bonnie Dempsey; parents John and Thelma Dempsey; daughter, Elaine Dempsey; grandparents John and Orphan Dempsey and Ernest and Myrtle Price.
He is survived by his children Jeff (Betty) Dempsey, Terri (Lloyd) Herbstreith; grandchildren Tyler Herbstreith, Chad Smith, Jana (Gus) McClellan; great-grandchildren Brayden McClellan, Mckena McClellan, Cade McClellan, Brynleigh McClellan, Keegan McClellan, Toby Smith, Gabriel Smith; sister, Judy Hopkins; niece, Tiffany Hopkins; nephew, John Hopkins; and many extended family, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Gary proudly served his country in the United States Navy for 22 years, achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer. After retiring from the military, he went on to serve his community through working for the Postal Service for 20 years. Gary had a kind and charitable heart, often blessing complete strangers with a gift or helping someone in need. Most importantly, he cherished time spent with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed.
A funeral service celebrating Gary’s life will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at Cook Memorial Chapel (East Building), 4235 Prairie St. SW, Grandville, MI 49418, with visitation from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Gary will be laid to rest at Georgetown Cemetery with full military honors. In memory of him and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, or the American Heart Association. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in Gary’s online guestbook.
