Gary Leo Hevener OBITUARY
Gary passed away at his home in Walnut Creek on Saturday, September 14, 2024, surrounded by his loving family, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. Gary was born to Leo and Norma Hevener in Portland, Oregon, on December 23, 1943. He moved from Portland to Lafayette, California, in 1957 and attended Acalanes High School, where he met the love of his life, Mary Colwell. Gary and Mary celebrated 59 years of marriage on August 22. They were blessed with three children and six adoring grandchildren. Gary's family meant everything to him. He was heavily involved in his children's activities, leading Indian Guides and coaching many teams in multiple sports for all three of them. Gary also passed on to his children a love of skiing, boating, adventure, and trying new things. Gary was a father figure to many beyond his immediate family, including nieces, nephews, his children's classmates, and neighborhood kids. He graduated from San Jose State in 1966 with a degree in Business Administration. After graduation, he went to work in the moving and storage industry with UC Moving Services, where he met several wonderful mentors who taught him every aspect of the business. He then went on to become a pioneer in the emerging tradeshow and high-value product sector. From the early 1980s until his retirement in 2010, he was a dedicated and highly respected leader in the industry, known for his integrity, humility, and great sense of humor. He created a legacy that is still carried on by his two sons. Gary was highly competitive and loved racquetball, softball, horseshoes, and most of all, golf. He played many notable golf courses, including Pebble Beach and St. Andrews in Scotland. He had a wicked sweet tooth and was an avid lover of maple bars, sticky buns, pie, cookies, and above all else, chocolate. He was a huge music fan as well: The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Paul McCartney, and the Little River Band were just a few of his favorites. Gary never did anything by halves. He was extremely meticulous and did every job the right way. He was a selfless giver, always there with a helping hand and a smile. He loved unconditionally, was compassionate, respectful, never complained, and seemed to have an infinite supply of patience. Gary is survived by his wife, Mary; children Rick (MaryAnna), Stacey Mamea, and Matt (Joanna); his sister Bev Walters; and his grandchildren Andrew, Jessica, Tai, Julia, Chloe, and Daisy, as well as many beloved members of the extended Martin and Colwell families. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the devoted caregivers from All Seasons and Continuum Hospice, who provided such wonderful care in his last days. Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made on Gary's behalf to the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fund Parkinson's research.
