There is no doubt, Gary was the funniest in my crazy, small family growing up.  Always quick with a joke, wisecrack or one liner, Gary was always looking to get people to laugh.  Oh, and remember those one-iners?  The good ones were repeated for years!   Even though you heard it a 100 times, you just laughed anyway not even knowing why anymore.   My best memories are those.....laughing so hard we cried! 

I loved playing football and wiffel ball with Gary on the side of our house when i was probaly 8 or 9.  He typcially would play on his knees  as i tried to be that star running back trying to get by for the game winning TD.  Most of the time i didn't make it (he was Varsity after all).  But every now and again I would sneak by to score as he fell onto his back and looking back at me - always with a big smile on his face watching me dance in our sidewalk endzone.   i knew he had let me slide by. That's when i knew we would be there for each other for life.  You can learn so much from the little things, even when your not looking.

No doubt though, Gary and Gordon were blood brothers.  Always competing when they were young, they truly fed off each other's success.  When Gordon decided to follow Gary to VA Tech and transfer, Gordon even became a walk-on one spring just to be with Gary on the football field (and probably try and show his little brother he could still hang a bit too - not !).  He then became Gary's biggest fan and supporter. They so enjoyed those years together...HOKIE NATION FOREVER!

When Gary hung up his cleats, he went and did what he loved best:  making people smile.   Gary could always cook, since he was probaby 15.  When he grew out of using every pot in the kitchen (to my mothers chagrin), he went to running the whole show at all kinds of places;  Intimate upscale restaurants like Greenstreets, to a ski resort bar& grill in Stowe, VT to overseeing 7 TGIF's in PA,  He loved what he did.... people could see it and everyone loved working with Gary.  I was always so impressed with that quality and what he had accomplished.  

I was with him more the last several years - trying to help him through some of those challenges in life that can overcome any one of us who hit a few bumps in the road.  I know it crushed him to not see his kids as much as he wanted to, he loved you guys so much.  Through it all, though, he would still try and make me smile and laugh - only today, i am crying real tears as I lose my last brother at way too young an age. 

Be at peace my brother - and give a bunch of hugs and kisses to our family clan when you see them - i know they will be waitng with open arms and smiles for you this time!

your baby bro, Ron