We have a few words and highlights about Gary and his career at Matheson from his co-workers and friends.
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JON MESSECAR BOISE TERMINAL SUPERVISOR
Gary started his driving career in northern Idaho delivering flowers. He moved to postal delivery for Whitmore out of the Spokane, WA P&DC, and was there a few years until it was acquired by Matheson. Brownie Matheson asked him to move to Boise to manage and drive out of the Boise location. Since being here in Boise he’s joined the regional postal contractor’s association and worked in Matheson’s flight extenders division for a while before returning to the postal side of the business. I think he has 4 kids, and I know he has even more grandchildren. The grandkids love to come and play on Gary’s farm, and see all the cows, and drive the tractors. Gary also at one point in his career managed a candy store, and I’ve heard Brownie Matheson was very fond of Gary’s fudge”.
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JOHN MILLER MANAGER OF SAFETY AND TRAINING, MATHESON’S FLIGHT EXTENDERS
In addition to his exemplary service Gary has been a mentor for many ‘up and coming’ future Matheson leaders, by unselfishly sharing his knowledge and experience to improve their skill set, management abilities & sarcasm.
Gary was counted on to assist with many special projects including but not limited to; The Denver peak truck hub on multiple occasions (with special attention given to truck loading methodology). Flying to Connecticut amid a deadly ice storm to assist in purchasing and setting up generators, flood light systems and electricity, to keep the computers and scanning equipment functional and to avoid service failure (All activity at this time was OSHA approved, including the temporary 110w electric mounted high on the vertical supports of the warehouse).
Then a year later disassembling the same THS station in Bradley/Hartford Connecticut, using grinders cutting wheels pry-bars sledgehammers and (colorful generalities).
Afterwards, assisting to drive (5) ’53 trailers full of ball decking, ramps, office furniture and machinery, to Denver, Phoenix and Sacramento.
Enroute during one said voyage, Gary encountered a “Barney Fife” scale master in Missouri, while he was pulling a trailer that was nearly 1000# over on the drive axle [as there were no scales available to weigh the ramps and ball decking after they was loaded] Gary’s choice was to wait for a tractor with two drive axles from Denver or adjust the load. Someone had suggested it would be more time effective to take the effort to pull 1000# of ball decking back from over the drive axle…Gary was more than thrilled to use two 5th wheel pullers to lift and pull multiple 8’ ball deck sections back for two hours. The fact he was more than thrilled, was evident as he continually expressed to the individual who made this suggestion, that they were #1 by utilizing two of his less frequently utilized digits.
All kidding aside, you could not find a better; Mentor, associate, and friend…he will be missed!
