Gary Donald Pack, 59, of Griffithsville was found dead of apparent natural causes at his home Wednesday February 4, 2015.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents Donald Eugene and Oneta Jane Messinger Pack.
He is survived by his sister, Donetta Perkins, Chantilly, Virginia; niece, Erica (Leigh) Phelps, Aldie, Virginia; and nephew, Todd McClure, Chesapeake, Virginia. “Uncle G” is also affectionately survived by his great nephews, Evan McClure and Grayson Phelps; and great nieces, Reese McClure and Olivia Phelps.
Gary will forever be remembered for his fun loving personality and the joy and laughter he always brought with him. To know him was to love him and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 am Saturday May 2, 2015 at Curry Funeral; Home. Burial will be at Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey where Gary’s cremains will be placed near his parents.
I was so sad to hear this news. I had the pleasure of working with Gary many years ago at National Travel. He was so much fun and always had us laughing!!! You never had a bad day if you were around Gary… He always made you smile!! He was definitely one of my favorite co-workers and I will never forget him! So sorry for your loss… RIP Gary..
To: Donetta and all the Pack family:
My sister and I would like to send our condolence to all of you. Knowing all of you since we were kids growing up together. Our prayers and love goes out to you and your families. He is in good hands.
Brenda (Jaynes) Dunlap and Linda (Jaynes) Jacobs
My Sweet Donetta & Gary,
“When the heart weeps for what it has lost, The spirit laughs for what it has found.”
I remember my two week stay every summer in the big White House, and Gary Doodle would crazily drive us around the bottom field for hours on the go-cart as our hair blew wildly in the wind, and we screamed to the top of our voices.
I remember hiding in Mommy & Poppy Messinger’s barn and smoking rolled brown corn silk in the corn husks and never understanding why we threw up.
I remember when Gary would hide and squirt water on Donnie and Niecie, as we basked in our baby oil and iodine coated bodies in the mountain sun.
I remember when Gary’s peering eyes watched us undress through the upstairs bedroom window, and Donnie and I chased him on the tin roof as he dove onto his bedroom floor.
I remember when you supported Chad at Marshall games and we all went to the big White House to laugh, eat, and stayed up all night listening to your endearing humor! My Coach P, Chad, and Andrea loved you dearly.
I remember when we danced our shoes off at Chad and Andrea’s weddings. You could move, Baby!
I remember the JOY you brought to all of us in the Messinger family as you freely gave us your contagious laughter and positive outlook on life here on this earth.
So, “GO REST HIGH ON THAT MOUNTAIN…”
KYEOTM, Niecie
I sure miss Donetta and Gary. They were so great to me and my family. My Dad mowed there yard and Did work for them for a long time. My mom would sometimes go and visit Donnetta, While Dad was there doing work for her and I help some. Donnetta and Gary were two Great people you could ever met. Cousin Gary and Donetta are sadly missed always and forever.
I met Gary through Donetta many years ago. He was always lending a hand as well as a laugh whenever I saw him. I looked forward to seeing his smiling face over the years. He loved his family dearly and it was evident that they felt the same. Continued prayers for love and light to the Pack/Perkins/Phleps families. amy
i went to high school with Gary. He was a wonderful person. Sorry we all lost touch, but that was over 40 years ago. Rest in Peace.
Donna
So sorry for your loss.
May the Lord be with you through it all.
Love, Delm.
My dear friend Gary. I cannot express how heart broken I am. I love you so much and cherished our time together. I will never forget what a good friend you were to me. Not only did you make me laugh, you were there for me during the dark hour when I lost my dad. We shared so much during the course of our friendship. With your passing, I lost a friend and a confidant, but the world lost a ray of sunshine! I will never forget you! My deepest condolences to your family, whom you spoke of often. I can only imagine the gap that your passing has left in your family! Love you Pack Man!
Gary,
There wasn’t a time when I was around you that you didn’t make me laugh. Thank you for being such a good friend to my sister, Julie. I am so thankful I got to know you through her. Rest in peace my friend.
Love,
Stephanie McKown Johnson
“G” was a part of the family and will be missed as so. RIP Gary <3
Our dearest Uncle G,
You were, and will forever be, so loved by our family. I can’t express how special you were to me my entire life. You were the “cool uncle,” always traveling to be with our family growing up for all the milestones, special occasions, and holidays. You had the best memory and were always the life of the party at family gatherings with your talent for telling funny stories of our family over the years! As I grew older, you became such a great friend. I cherish all the times you spent with Mom, Leigh, and me…and especially Grayson. You were such a big kid with Grayson, always game for anything he wanted to play or do! Our fondest memories will always be of coloring Easter eggs, Santa’s visit at Christmas, and all the many vacations we spent at the beach just enjoying our time together. The holidays and vacations will never be the same without you, but we will always reminisce on our times together as a family. Our hearts ache for your kind spirit, laughter, and love. We are forever grateful for the time we had with you. You were taken from us way too soon. I know you were so looking forward to the brith of your newest, great-niece, Olivia Jane. We know you are her guardian angel, and you are looking down on both my kids as they grow up (just as Mommaw and Poppaw do). Leigh, Mom, and I will always share the great memories of you and our times together. I still can’t believe you’re gone, and I miss you every single day.
Loving you always,
Leigh, Erica, Grayson, and Olivia
My sweet Gary, How we will miss you! You were a part of our family and we treasure the time we shared together. You were just like a brother to me, as Donnie and I are like sisters! You made us laugh so often! You had a gift of brightening everyone’s day. I will hold onto our memories together! God has a special angel now!
Sandy
YOU WAS SUCH A DEAR FRIEND TO US WE ARE GONNA MISS YOU SO MUCH WE HAD SO MUCH FUN TOGEATHER MY BOYS CALLED YOU UNCLE GARY WE WERE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU COMING TO PANAMA CITY THIS SUMMER YOU TALKED OF YOUR SISTER AND YOUR NIECE AND HER SON AND THE BABY I FEEL LIKE I KNOW THEM YOU BROUGHT GREAT JOY TO THIS FAMILY PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILY IF IT WAS NIT FOR SHELBY I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNEW YOU AT ALL THANKS SHELL HE WAS AWFUL EXCIDED ABOUT THE BABY COMING HE LOVED KIDS HE LOVE HIS MOMMA AND DAD TO SPOKE ALOT OF CHAD HE WAS VERY PROUD OF YOU ALL I WANT YOU TO KNOW I LOVED HIM AS A BIG BROTHER HE HAD A BIG HEART LOVE YOU ALL TO BUT WE WILL NEVER FORGET HIM NOT IN THIS LIE TIME RIP GEAR I LOVE AND IM GONNA MISS OUR PHONE CALLS AND VISITS COOKIE AND FAMILY PANAMA CITY FL.108 AUBOURS DR, 32401 PLEASE DONT LET ME FORGET AUNT PEGGY BLESS YOU GARY PACK IM GLAD YOUR HAPPY TO HIS SISTER THATS ALL HE WANTED AND HE WAS WAITING ON THE BABY TO GET HERE!! RIP MY BEST FRIEND FOR EVER…
Our most precious Gary Doodle, our big loving family each have special memories of you. You are a child of God, perfect in his sight. He took you home to your loved ones in heaven. May they all take you into their loving arms and hold you. Heartbreaking and painful losing you and Greg. I thank you as did our family for your loving care of Greg. Love is a wonderful thing. I hope and pray you know how much we love you. We will never forget you, You entertained us for years. We had our fun travels together worldwide. We did it all. You were special. No one like you ever and never will be. My heart aches losing you but I understand. I love you dearly. Aunt Peggy.
Donetta and family—My prayers are with you all. Gary was a great guy and I wish I could have spent more time with him. He was always laughing, smiling and had a great spirit about him. He was taken too soon and will be truly missed. If there is anything I can do for you guys, please let me know. God bless you all.
R.I.P gary he was a nice person i knew gary for a long time he will be missed R.I.P. .
I am so sorry to hear of Gary’s passing. I will cherish all the times that he and I spent together. As we aged, our paths went in different directions but I tried to stay in touch but it was hard with both our schedules. I was telling my wife a story about Gary the other day and we just set and laughed for the longest time. Then there was the time that he and I both moved to Houston back in the 1980’s. There were many good laughs and then there were times we would cry. Stories like these will live on in my life. He will get greatly missed.
Donetta -my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family God Bless you.