Gary Leonard Wyke, spouse of the Reverend Elizabeth Greene, died 10 April 2021, in Boise Idaho. He was born on 8 July 1941, in Hanford, California, and spent his childhood there.
After high school, he headed east to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where his personal values of integrity, loyalty, and fairness were reinforced. However, he found the curriculum a poor match for his interests and strengths. Gary returned to California, fulfilling his military obligations as a Naval Reservist.
In that period Gary received a B.A. in English from the University of California in Berkeley, then worked six years as a book buyer at Macy’s Department store in San Francisco. Concluding that retail was not the path for him, he returned to Cal and got Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Forestry. He retired from work with the Bureau of Land Management in Boise after over 30 years of service.
He and Janet Evans were married in 1964. Sons Andrew and Evan opened for Gary a deep and abiding well of love for family. Indeed love for family was one of his defining characteristics. His sons grew up, married, and had children of their own, who were absolutely the apples of their “Bumpa’s” eye.
Even with his deep commitment and joy in family, he also turned outward in a commitment to making the world better. He served as President of his church, the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. He was a much-respected tutor at Learning Lab. He coordinated the Farmers’ Market table, where people with EMT cards could receive tokens for fresh vegetables. His quiet, low-key sense of humor delighted all who knew and loved him.
In 2013, Jan and Gary’s marriage dissolved, amiably and with a continuing commitment to their kids and grandkids. He found that his 30+ year friendship with Elizabeth Greene had deepened into an excellent foundation for a life together, and they made the happy decision to marry. Gary and Elizabeth traveled many places, laughed a lot, read poetry to each other, spent fun times with family, and thanked their Higher Powers for the late-life gift of each other.
Gary is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; son Andy, wife Erin and daughter Dylan; son Evan, wife Nicole and sons Sullivan, Benson and Oliver; sister Joyce McKern; nieces and nephews.