Gary Lee Newlun

Gary was born December 20, 1949 in Pekin to Clarence and Dorothy Newlun.

Surviving are two children, Mark (Regina) Newlun of Kingston Mines andErica (Bradley) Bolton of Trivoli; 10 grandchildren, Mark Jr., Mason, Aric, Aiden, Nicholas, Noah and Evan Newlun, Annaliese, Alexandra, and Adrienne Bolton; four sisters, Judy Smith and Carol Arms, both of Pekin, Barbara Angle of Creve Coeur and Bonnie Beard of San Bernardino, California.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one infant brother, Scott, and one infant sister, Sue.

Gary was a veteran of the United States Army, serving in Germany between 1969 and 1972.

Prior to his military service, Gary worked as a truck driver for his father’s business, Newlun Transport. Later, he graduated from Bradley University where he earned a degree in Accounting and Business Administration. Throughout his career, he worked as an accountant in the transportation industry. Gary was most recently employed as a parts delivery driver for O’Reilly Auto Parts.

Gary enjoyed woodworking and landscaping. He became a member of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1994 and reaped the benefits of nearly three decades of sobriety. Through his years at AA, Gary helped many people make positive changes in their own lives. While he didn’t always have a lot, he was always willing to give others what he did have, whether it was a place to live, a ride to a meeting, or the encouraging advice to take life one day at a time.

A celebration of Gary’s life will be held at the Pavilion on the Lagoon at Mineral Springs Park on Saturday, June 17, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cremation has been accorded by Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.

In lieu of memorial contributions, Gary’s family requests that you honor his memory by giving of yourself. When an opportunity presents itself, get involved and assist someone in need of intervention or assistance. Be the light in someone’s darkness.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com