He is survived by his wife, Joyce, his son, Gary D. Swart, Jr. (Skip) and daughter-in-law Colette Bariletti, and his daughter Julie Swart, all of Yakima. He also leaves three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a much-loved extended family. Besides his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his sister, Janice.
Gary was a member of the Wapato High School Graduating Class of 1953. He maintained fond friendships and bonds with his classmates and enjoyed their annual gatherings. He served as an air traffic controller in the Air Force.
Gary taught in the Wapato and Mt. Adams School districts. He was active in his Education Association, and after his retirement, he maintained and valued his friendships with many fellow staff members and students.
As a younger man, Gary performed in several stage productions at the Warehouse Theater and sang with the Yakima Philharmonic and Choral Society, Yakima Symphony Chorus, and in his college and church choirs.
He was a baseball and fastpitch softball official for many years and enjoyed that role both when umpiring games on the field and when training new umpires as a clinician. He traveled to officiate in several state and regional tournaments. He was a true fan of the game and followed the Seattle Mariners with great loyalty and passion.
Gary played in the Yakima Valley Community Band, and was a fixture in the tuba section. He also played with Musikkapelle Leavenworth, traveling to play at Leavenworth festivals for many years. He valued his friends from both these bands.
He enjoyed traveling. When the community band finished a performance tour in Switzerland, Gary and Joyce stayed on to explore further in Germany, Austria, and Denmark.
He also traveled with Musikkapelle Leavenworth on a concert tour in Canada. One of Gary’s favorite memories of that trip was an impromptu concert in the Canadian Rockies, at the summit of Rogers Pass, playing Bavarian music in the mountain sunshine with the baton being waved enthusiastically by a delighted tourist from Germany who could hardly believe what he was hearing.
Gary shared his travel bug with his own family and with his students. He took several groups of travel scholars to Washington, DC, Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Florida. He included his grandchildren in some of those trips and made lasting memories with them.
He hunted, fished, and hiked, and he enjoyed camping trips with his family. Gary shared his outdoor skills with his students at their annual school camp sessions. He progressed from backpacker to car and tent camper, and he finally cultivated an appreciation for comfortable accommodations at the end of the day. That often resulted in day trips and coming home to sleep in his own bed.
Gary was a woodworking enthusiast and was always ready to take on a project. His family treasures the hand-made pieces of furniture he made for them. After his retirement, his health made it difficult to pursue that interest.
Having grown up on farms and orchards, Gary kept his interest in growing things. He tended his rose bed, and he raised delicious tomatoes.
Gary treasured his family and was proud of his pioneer heritage. His Biles ancestors were co-leaders on the Biles-Longmire wagon train that opted for the northern branch of the Oregon Trail and struggled over Naches Pass in 1853. He always looked forward to visits and gatherings, and he particularly enjoyed the times when he could reunite with his relatives on the west side of the state. He was proud of his children and grandchildren, and he loved his three great-grand daughters. His Ford pickup truck and his dog, Rocky, were important to him, and he loved them both. In his heart, they ranked as family members.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary’s memory may be made to the Yakima Valley Community Band, Cottage in the Meadow, your favorite youth baseball organization, or a charity of your choice.
Friends and family of Gary are invited to a farewell gathering at 1:00 p.m. on January 6, 2018, at Keith and Keith Funeral Home in Yakima. Come, share stories if you wish, join in some light refreshments, and help us to remember and say goodbye to Gary.
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