Gary Roy Piche

Gary was born in Highland Park, Michigan. He spent many of his adult years traveling before settling with his family in Houghton Lake, Michigan. He was stationed in Texas, Thailand, Arizona, Florida, Germany and Michigan with the United States Air Force and retired from his 21 year career as a Chief Senior Master Sergeant in 1988.

Together since age 13, he married Kathy (Slabinski) in 1969. He and Kathy were married for nearly 55 years prior to Kathy passing away four months ago. They raised their three children in Michigan and moved into Kathy’s dream home and area in Arizona in 1999.

Gary had a passion for collecting and making knives, hunting, fishing and, in his younger years, golfing. He dreamed of a “tirty-point buck” and that idea was a common conversation at Deer Camp (Camp Bodacious). Most Novembers, “Papa and Spike” were attached at the hip. Gary was so happy to have made it to deer camp one last time after his last bout of cancer. His love for golfing inspired both his boys to pick up the sport. He was infatuated with Pink (singer) and had an extensive tequila collection, displayed on his bar that he brought back with him from Germany.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Alice, father, Ronald, his mother-in-law Anna “Bobchia” Slabinski, and his beloved wife, Kathy. He is survived by his children Jeneen, Chris (Bekah), and Brandon (Wendy), grandchildren Jenael Ignat, Taylor, and Leo, great-grandchild Kyan, nieces Lisa McCullough (Mark) and Michelle Lynch (Rob) and their children, sister Rhonda (Linda), and in-laws, Judy and Bernie Chuinard, and best friend, Dave “Spike” Parker.