Gary died January 17, 2002, when a van in which he was traveling overturned on an icy stretch of Interstate 80 near the California-Nevada border. He jumped at Redding during the 1975-76 seasons.

Friends and family characterized him as a free-spirited outdoorsman, a community volunteer and a loving father. He raced every year in the legendary Kamikaze mountain bike race in Mammoth Mountain, California. He climbed in Yosemite, sailed around South America and hiked in Mexico. Gary worked as a carpenter and was known for his craftmanship and woodworking skills.