Gary was born in Milwaukee but from the time he was two he was raised in southwest Colorado Springs. He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School. His first summer job was at Seven Falls as a parking lot attendant. He received his undergraduate degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Gary has served two full-time missionary assignments in Mexico City, the first when he was just out of college for two years and the second after he retired for one and a half years. His chosen field was law enforcement and he retired from Colorado Springs Police Department after a total of twenty-five years.

He has been married thirty-two years and is the father of four children and grandfather of four grandchildren. Gary has lived in Marion, Alabama, Chelan, Washington, San Antonio, Texas, and Provo, Utah. He enjoys reading, weightlifting, long distance hiking, mountain biking, gardening, and birding. He volunteers as a Temple and Family History Leader at his church, a trail worker with RMFI, and recently as a Master Gardner Apprentice with CSU Extension.

Gary says, “I have loved North Cheyenne Canyon since the time when I celebrated my third birthday at the Mesa Picnic area until now when I wander the Columbine Trail to Helen Hunt Falls. All of us long for a sense of place and purpose in life. John Muir had Yosemite and I have the Canyon. I am happy to be able to give back some small amount of the joy that I have gained from the Canyon by serving in whatever capacity with the Friends of Cheyenne Canyon.”