Gary was born in Kennett, Mo. Feb 25, 1947 to J. T. Rackley and Ivalena Rackley. Gary went to Kennett High School and graduated in 1966; shorty after graduating Gary joined the US Navy, he did his training in Illinois and Florida. After training he was transferred to LNAS, and did 3 tours in Vietnam. After the 2nd tour is when he met Verna "Dragging Main St in Hanford;" he in his hopped up 68’ Dodge Charger and Verna in her 61’ Volkswagen. That was the beginning of a true love story.
Shortly after they met, Gary left on his last tour in Vietnam. Meeting Verna in Alameda after 7 long months, they were never apart; shortly afterwards they married and moved back to Kennett, Mo. After a couple years Gary started working as a manager at Wal-Mart, by then both sons Gary Jr. and Scott were born and they lived in Mo. for 7 years and moved 7 times. Gary would set up the Wal-Marts as they were built, then when that was done they moved to the next town and another Wal-Mart. It was an adventure for his family to see and live the state from the boot hill of Missouri to 25 miles from the Iowa border.
Missing California, Gary and Verna moved back in 1977 where Gary started working at Armstrong then Pirelli. After that he started his dream job, driving 18 wheelers; he did this for 34 years and loved it. He was employed by Bedrosians in Fresno where he was working a week before he became ill.
Gary and Verna did a lot of traveling to their favorite place Cambria, to the desert to watch grandsons ride dirt bikes every Thanksgiving, then to the Nascar tracks, in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sonoma, Texas (twice), Daytona (twice), Homestead and Auto Club Speedway: they loved Nascar. A lot of years were was spent driving to Dallas where their youngest son Scott settled to marry Kelly and raise their 8 grandchildren; every year Gary and Verna would drive and watch the grandchildren grow from infants to adulthood, 3 are still minors. They loved playing games, swimming, makeup parties, reading and drawing. Whatever they wanted to do, Gary said “Ok let’s do it.” Many trips were also made to visit their oldest son Gary Jr. who settled in Reedley, Ca. where they watched the grandkids ball games, have parties and dinners and just hang out.
Gary leaves behind his wife, Verna of 48 years, son Gary and 3 wonderful grandkids, Luc, Sarah and Justin, son Scott and wife Kelly and 8 wonderful grandkids, Josh and Sydney & baby Olivia due in Sept, Katelyn and William & Alton, Melissa, Benji, Laura, Annie, Garrett & Nate. He also leaves behind his mother, Ivalena of Little Rock, Ark, sister Julia & Ted of Deland, Fla, sister Alyce of Alabama, sister Joanne & Ben of Little Rock, Ark and several nieces and nephews.
At Gary's request, there will not be a viewing or funeral. He just wanted his ashes spread in the desert, his other favorite place where many Thanksgivings were spent watching his sons and grandsons do their dirt biking up and down the mountains and trails.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, August 11, 2018 from 2 pm to 4 pm at The Laton’s Lions Club; 6345 Nares Ave, Laton.
Verna states, “Gary was my best friend for 50 years, I loved him so much, and miss him terribly. We will be together again only God knows when, when it does happen I will never leave your side. I love you forever and a day.”
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