Gary was a salt of the earth man. I truly respected him and always appreciated his  commentary and thoughts. He will be missed and I am fortunate to have known him.

My heart is deeply saddened by Gary's passing.  His kindness, integrity, and unwavering devotion to those he loved left a lasting imprint on everyone blessed to know him.  He was truly one of a kind, and his memory will continue to shine bright in the lives he touched.

My family and I are lifting  you all in prayer during this difficult time. May God’s peace surround you, may His comfort sustain you, and may your beautiful memories bring strength in the days ahead.

Seven years ago, Gary and Jeff hired me in St. Croix. I had no idea at the time how lucky I was to be joining an incredibly caring team.
Gary’s love for his own family shone through every single day. He spoke regularly about how deeply blessed he felt and about how much he cherished each one of them. He treated the families of his employees as if they were his own, checking in regularly, face-to-face, making sure we all knew how truly valued we were.
If there was ever a chance to help, Gary was the first to step forward. I once mentioned in passing that I loved cinnamon pecans and that they were hard to find on island. For the next three years, Gary kept the office stocked with them—bringing them back from trips, ordering them specially, even recruiting family members to smuggle bags in their carry-ons to conferences. That small gesture said everything about the man: thoughtful, generous, and determined to make the people around him feel seen and cared for.
My love and prayers are with his family and with all who were fortunate enough to know him.

Gary and I went to the Texas House of Representatives at the same time and served together many years. We were desk mates for several sessions and visited at his home in St. Croix. He was a great friend and will be missed.  

Please accept our deepest condolences. 

Tracy O. King

On behalf of the Nelson University Board of Regents, Faculty, and Staff, allow me to express our deep sadness upon learning of Gary's passing and our sincere prayers on behalf of you, Julie, and the entire family. Gary faithfully served his alma mater as a member of our Board for over 20 years. I quickly came to realize what your family knew full well - your husband, father, grandfather was not only a gifted professional with keen wisdom and insight, but he was a great encourager and strong in faith. On more than one occasion he honored me by arranging for me to be the chaplain of the day for the Texas House, providing the invocation for that day's session. What a personal highlight made possible by my dear brother. Julie and family, we, his fellow Regents, are praying for you in your time of deep loss, and trusting that your hurt will be continually overcome by God's great peace and your precious memories of your dear husband, Dad, and Granddad, and our esteemed colleague!

Dr. Kermit Bridges 
President
Nelson University

"I had the privilege of knowing and working with Gary for more than 34 years. He was a man whose faith in God always guided him, and I admired the profound love he showed his family and friends.
He brought so much joy, especially at Christmas. He loved dressing up as Santa for our office visits. We often reminisced and shared a laugh about the time when his son Jeremy was 8 (who was learning Spanish), insisted on teaching me the language—a situation Gary found hilarious since I am Hispanic. We will cherish those happy memories and smiles forever."                        Our deepest condolences.                                Dan, Ana, Brittany & Phoebe Martinez

I have fond memories of the time we spent together as members of the Texas House o Representatives where were classmates. My Prayers and Condolences to your family.

Glenn Lewis

I was so sad to hear of Gary’s passing. I am so blessed to have gone on many snowmobiling adventures with him and his wonderful family.  Amazing memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.  Sending lots of prayers during this difficult time to the whole family and lots of love…

Love,
Nichole Reed

When Gary married my sister, Julie, we had no idea how much he would come to mean to us all. I loved the 42 games we played, the trips to St. Croix and our dinners at Monument Inn. The one thing I learned about Gary that really surprised and blessed me was how much he loved kids! I remember him picking up my first grandchild, Jonathan, placing him on his lap and singing the Tiger song from Winnie the Pooh, delighting us all. I will truly miss you Gary and I look forward to seeing you in Heaven where we will all rejoice to be with our Savior, Jesus Christ❣️

I am deeply saddened by the passing of such a wonderful and Godly man. He was the first person to give me a chance when I was just a 21-year-old girl starting out, and I will always be grateful for the doors he opened for me. Working for him shaped so much of who I became—he led with kindness, integrity, and faith, and he treated people with a generosity that was rare and genuine.

I’ll never forget the day I told him I was engaged. He called me into his office, congratulated me with the warmest smile, and then—without hesitation—offered to pay for my honeymoon. That act of kindness still brings tears to my eyes. It wasn’t just the gift itself but the love and encouragement behind it. That was who he was: someone who blessed others quietly and wholeheartedly.

He touched countless lives, including mine, and his impact will live on through every person he helped along the way. He will be so greatly missed, but his legacy of goodness, faith, and generosity will never fade. My prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

OBITUARY

Gary W. Elkins

March 15, 1955 – November 26, 2025

Memorial Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery

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