Obituaries

Gary Leon Rogers

Photo of Gary Leon Rogers
Gary Leon Reynolds, age 77, a native of Rogers, passed away Saturday, August 11, 2018. He was born in Rogers on September 23, 1940, to Leon and Lona Marie (Edwards) Reynolds. Gary married Deanna Kay Williamson of Rogers on July 12, 1967 in Pea Ridge. They've been married for 51 years and have four daughters. Gary enlisted in the United States Navy in 1958 at the age of 17. He was the first man to be sworn in as part of a special Arkansas Navy recruit company made up entirely of Arkansas men called the "Rackinsacks". He served in the United States Navy and Submarine service for 21 years until he retired in 1979. Gary proudly served on the USS Jarvis DD799, USS Pomodon SS486, USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624B (twice), USS Thornback SS418, USS Grayling SSN646, USS Abraham Lincoln SSBN 602, and USS Hunley AS17. He is a current member of the USS Snook Base. After military retirement, he and Deanna moved back home to Rogers, where he worked at Benton County Water District, Easco Hand Tools and Bekaert Corporation. Gary retired from Bekaert in 2002. As a boy, Gary mowed yards to buy his first motorcycle. As a teenager, he worked as a milk delivery boy at Sunbeam Dairy. Gary also worked as a skate boy at Lake Atalanta skating rink where he was paid to show off his skating abilities in towns as far away as Tulsa. After returning home from his first tour in the Navy, he helped build the Hwy 12 Bridge and the Beaver Lake Dam before re-enlisting in the Navy. Gary enjoyed dirt flat-track motorcycle racing and racing of all kinds. He spent countless hours on Beaver Lake with his family camping, fishing, and waterskiing and in the National Forest camping, hunting and riding dune-buggies. He loved to travel; especially heading west towards the mountains. Gary treasured having his family together and enjoyed the love and laughter that was shared at numerous family gatherings, holidays and cookouts; he was known for his one-of-a-kind barbecue. In 2003, Gary and Navy brothers, Lynn Richard and Jim Barnes, went on a two-week boat trip on a pontoon, navigating the many locks and shipping traffic down the Arkansas River from the Port of Catoosa near Tulsa to the Mississippi River. Unlike their past Navy experiences, they were above the surface for this deployment. They relived this trip many times during their visits with each other. Gary is preceded in death by his parents, Leon and Lona Marie Reynolds Ross and his Mother and Father-in-law, Russell and Kathleen Williamson. Gary is survived by his wife, Deanna, of the home; four daughters, Amy Elliott of Avoca, Heidi Goodart and husband Andy of Rogers, Wendy McDonald and husband Scott of Seattle, and Cindy Clark and husband Sam of Rogers; one sister, Susan Morrison and husband Zannie; eight grandchildren, Jessica Phillips and husband Casey, Brandon Gibson, Regan Harris and husband Cory, Katie Elliott, Cameron Gibson, Cali Cook, Brianna Swafford and Nash Gary Clark; two great-grandchildren, Gary Wyatt Gibson and JoLee Lona Phillips; a niece, cousins, friends and a large group of Navy Brothers. Gary lived and loved to the fullest. He lived his life for his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren and his country. He lived a life that embodied the phrase he was known to say; "I never had it so good". Pallbearers: Andy Goodart, Richard France, Sam Clark, Scott McDonald, Brandon Gibson, Cameron Gibson, Casey Phillips and Cory Harris. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the United States Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 3870, Silverdale, Wash. 98383. Make check or money order out to USSVCF Scholarship Fund and mark, "In memory of Gary L. Reynolds." Thank you for caring about the United States Navy Submarine Community. Funeral services 10 a.m. Friday; August 17, 2018 at the Benton County Funeral Home, 306 N. 4th, Rogers. Interment with full military honors in the Rogers Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Online condolences to www.bentoncountyfuneralhome.com.

Published August 15, 2018

Upcoming Events