Gary and I met in kindergarten at El Centro. We were buddies all through until junior high, and we split off with new friends, as one does. Really didn't have much contact with him. Then graduation. I heard later he went into the military, which surprised me. They sent him to Nam three times.
Fast forward to 2014. We saw each other at the annual Garfield park picnic and exchanged emails. Turns out he, like me, had moved back to South Pas to help his mom. We spent many hours together at the local pub, reminiscing and catching up. We discovered we had both worked for the same State agency, me in San Diego, him in Santa Barbara.
Gary suffered with diabetes for years, but later discovered he had stage four liver cancer, which is what eventually got the better of him.
Gary had the most inquisitive mind I've ever known; it was all over the place.
Gary's passing was a sad and sudden shock to me. I will miss him so much.
I am just realizing that Gary is no longer with us. I have fond memories of Gary at El Centro. We were often paired together for things like the May Pole Dance as he was one of the tallest boys and I had gotten my growth spurt early. He always seemed to have a gentle nature and, as most young men in those days were guided to be, a gentleman, who was a genuinely nice person. I'm glad our paths crossed on our life journeys.
Gary McSwane
Connie L Wardlow (1969)
Gary and I met in kindergarten at El Centro. We were buddies all through until junior high, and we split off with new friends, as one does. Really didn't have much contact with him. Then graduation. I heard later he went into the military, which surprised me. They sent him to Nam three times.
Fast forward to 2014. We saw each other at the annual Garfield park picnic and exchanged emails. Turns out he, like me, had moved back to South Pas to help his mom. We spent many hours together at the local pub, reminiscing and catching up. We discovered we had both worked for the same State agency, me in San Diego, him in Santa Barbara.
Gary suffered with diabetes for years, but later discovered he had stage four liver cancer, which is what eventually got the better of him.
Gary had the most inquisitive mind I've ever known; it was all over the place.
Gary's passing was a sad and sudden shock to me. I will miss him so much.
Connie Wardlow
Pauline Breck Moran (Reed) (1969)
I am just realizing that Gary is no longer with us. I have fond memories of Gary at El Centro. We were often paired together for things like the May Pole Dance as he was one of the tallest boys and I had gotten my growth spurt early. He always seemed to have a gentle nature and, as most young men in those days were guided to be, a gentleman, who was a genuinely nice person. I'm glad our paths crossed on our life journeys.