Gary Peebles
September 19, 1944 — March 20, 2014
Gary Robert Peebles was born on September 19th, 1944 in Zanesville, Ohio, later moving to Cleveland. The oldest of five children, Gary exhibited the strong sense of responsibility he'd be known for his entire life helping his family make ends meet. While working in the steel mill at 20, Gary found his life's calling when he joined the Navy and went off to Vietnam. Opting to stay in service upon the war's end, Gary took to the seas and saw the world, serving as weapons specialist aboard massive aircraft carriers such as the USS Enterprise, the USS Kennedy, and the USS Eisenhower. Between tours aboard the Kennedy and the Eisenhower, Gary found himself wedded to Iowan and fellow sailor Linda Love after a whirlwind 2 and a 1/2 month courtship that would lead to a lifetime of marriage. The couple welcomed their eldest child, Clinton, in Tennessee; their 2nd Nathan, in Virginia, with Gary having freshly graduated from officer school; and finally Jennifer, also in Virginia. Gary loved his kids and played with them whenever he had the chance during tours in Italy, Alaska, the Philippines, and California. After a successful 26 year career, Gary chose to retire to Texas with his family after returning from the Persian Gulf War in 1991 aboard the USS Ranger. Though he found little joy in life after the military due in part to the early onset of dementia, Gary still provided diligently for his family, leaving an excellent example for his kids on the importance of shouldering one's responsibilities. Gary loved substitute teaching children with disabilities, attending church with his friends, and working on his model trains. Gary died at Autumn Winds Retirement Lodge in Schertz, Texas on March 20th, his wife by his side. Gary is survived by Linda and his three children--Clinton (Springfield, Virginia), Nathan (Albuquerque, New Mexico), and Jennifer (Hutto, Texas), all of whom loved him very much. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2014, at 10:30AM at The Waters Church in Garden Ridge, Texas. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Huntington's Disease Society of America-Texas Affiliate (www.hdsa.org/txaff/tsdon.html).
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