Gary B Holley

Gary B. Holley 71 passed away peacefully at the George Whalen Veteran's Memorial Hospital on November 26th in Salt Lake City Utah. Born December 17, 1952, in Washington D.C. he was the son of the late Ralph J. and Lois Robinson Holley.

He leaves behind a daughter, Mughi (Stan) Flickinger, and two grandchildren, Tiffany (Sam) Herberger and Thandie Flickinger.

A picture of Gary wouldn't be appropriate without his grandkid in it. Honestly, I couldn't find a single picture of him without his grandchildren. If you knew Gary you knew he lived to spend time with them, and you knew he loved to travel. Tiffany called him the human GPS, if you mentioned a country chances were pretty good he could tell you all about it down to what places to visit and how to get there. The last big trip was this summer through Yellowstone Park with Thandie. He couldn't walk very far, due to heart failure, so Thandie (9) pumped the gas and bought the supplies and together they crossed the high country of Yellowstone from Gardiner to Cook City.

My dad loved the mountains of Montana and he loved to camp. As a mom I was apprehensive but with cell phones and being in Montana I let them go and be free! My dad lived to travel and show his grandkids the world, he took Tiffany (22) on so many adventures, and they traveled Europe one summer visiting castles all over England. They also met Prince Charles outside of Warwick Castle, by chance, and Tiffany got to shake his hand. My dad said he looked haggard, he said Charles needs to come to the mountains of Montana and leave all the stress behind and recharge.

Gary loved people of every class and country. He loved talking and getting to know them on a personal level. But most of all he loved to travel.  On another trip, he took Tiffany to South America, they wandered all over Peru, Chile, and Argentina. Returning to the U.S. they Island hopped up the Bahamas back to Florida. Gary also loved his country and was a diehard patriot and served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He took Tiffany to Washington D.C., where he was born, on more than one occasion. He made sure she saw the declaration of Independence and learned the history of our great nation with hands on tours of the capital. He also took her on the Lewis and Clark expedition recreating the experience by following their path all the way to the Pacific Ocean. He took her to Boston and showed her where Sam Adams had his tea party.

To say my dad was an adventurer is an understatement. He was a master explorer and warrior. He toured 79+ countries and made friends everywhere he went. He feared no one, living an exceptional life. He met my mother Lucia, an Italian model, in England. They were married a year later in Montebelluna Italy. She was the love of his life, and he never remarried.

My dad had a heart of gold, he gave so many struggling people a helping hand with his import/export business to Mexico and Guatemala. He changed people's lives for the better and that gave him immense joy and purpose. He helped the Peace Corps find a safe and effective base in Guatemala and always cared about his fellow man. He traveled among the locals and lived as they did. People were drawn to him. They would seek him out. One time in traffic in Chihuahua City, a guy two lanes over and a ways ahead of us started waving his hands and hollering at us. I was alarmed at first but then after he made his way to us he kept saying Gary, Gary, I've been looking all over for you that tractor you sold my father has been life changing, we were able to buy more land and now we have two farms we want more machinery please bring us more machinery. It was so humbling to see firsthand how my dad’s work truly helped people. My dad always stood up for what was right. I'm comforted in the knowledge that my father was close to Jesus and raised me with God's influence which I'm forever grateful for. I will see you again daddy, I love you with all my heart.  Mughi Flickinger.

Graveside services with Military Honors provided by the Gallia County Funeral Detail Team will be held on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. in the Mound Hill Cemetery. The Cremeens-King Funeral Home, Gallipolis is entrusted with the arrangements.

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