Gary Dennis Schaffer

He grew up in York Haven in central Pennsylvania, survived polio as an 8-year old, and had an active childhood playing baseball and many other sports and outdoor activities including fishing in Bennett Run Creek which ran in front of his parents home. He graduated from Cedar Cliff High School in 1963. He started a family with his ex-wife Cookie and had a son, Mark. They divorced in 1982. He moved to Raleigh, received his master’s degree in safety management from East Carolina University in 1985 and later that year married his wife, Lee. They were married until her death in 2019.

Gary worked for many years at Pensey Supply, Dixie Lime and Stone, NC State, Nello L. Teer and later at Gregory Poole Equipment Company where he retired as their safety director in 2008. He was a supporter of the NC State Arboretum and a great fan of NCSU sports teams, especially wrestling and women’s basketball. Like his wife, he was an avid gardener and landscaper. He made many improvements by hand to his home in Raleigh over the years which was of much joy to him. He enjoyed collecting local pottery and lighthouses to decorate his home.

Gary is predeceased by his parents, Andrew and Shirley, his brother, Steve and wife, Lee.

Immediate survivor is his son, Mark.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oakwood Cemetery, 701 Oakwood Avenue, Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Transitions LifeCare at 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 (https://transitionslifecare.org/).

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Schaffer family.