Gary Lee Wycoff, age 84, passed away on April 12, 2019, in Spokane, Washington. He was born on March 21, 1935, in Spokane, to Wayne and Martha (Kopp) Wycoff. Gary quit Gonzaga Prep High School in his senior year to join the U.S. Marine Corp in 1952 and was assigned to serve in Korea. He married Mary F. Anders on March 24, 1956. Together, they made Newman Lake their home in the summer of 1961. They were married for nearly 60 years when Mary passed away on January 2, 2016. Gary studied at Spokane Technical and Vocational School then went to school for AMF Bowling Products Group where his name quickly became an icon in the bowling industry. Gary was well-respected and his services of building and maintaining bowling centers was in high demand.
Gary enjoyed spending time with this family. He liked to play the spoons- a skill that he taught his children. His hobbies included building and driving race cars, boating, water skiing, and snowmobiling. He was an artist and painter and in his later years took up golfing.
Gary attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in Otis Orchards, where he was the Rosary Captain. He belonged to GIESCRA and he raced at the Spokane County Fairgrounds, Northwest Speedway, and other tracks around the Pacific Northwest and Canada. He was also a member of Northwest Super Stock. He was proud of his involvement on the 1st Michigan Light Artillery in the Civil War re-enactment club over the last two years. To sum up Gary’s personality, “Once a Marine, always a Marine” says it all.
Gary loved and was loved by many. He is survived by his three sons, Michael, Erick, and Gary; two daughters, Lidicé and Janeena; daughter-in-law, Tiffeny; 24 grandchildren; and 24 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Theresa and two sons, Billy John and Sean. Gary was a dedicated husband and loving father, a loyal Marine, and a wonderful Grandpa.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 4521 N Arden Rd, Otis Orchards.
Please share memories of Gary in his guestbook.