Gary D. SKIYE

SKIYE, ALLEY, CUMMINGS, MILLER, COVINGTON, LERNA, SCHNELL, HEADINGTON, HARTY, STOKKE, MARTIN, DILLION, SKROVIG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:00

May 18, 1942 ---- September 11, 2021

Gary D. Skiye, age 79, of Belmond, Iowa, a Clarion, Iowa native died, Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Iowa Specialty Hospital-Belmond, Iowa, following a stroke. Public Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021 at the Belmond United Methodist Church, 1031 1st Street Southeast Belmond. The Reverend Leila Blackburn will be officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by the Belmond Honor Guard will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Public visitation will be at the church on Wednesday Sept. 15, from 5-7 PM and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church Thursday. Memorials may be directed to the donor's choice or the family for their discretion. Mask wearing is up to the choice of those attending.

Gary Skiye, the son of Willis "Bill" and Dorothy (Alley) Skiye, was born May 18, 1942, at the Clarion Hospital, Clarion, Iowa. Gary grew up in the Clarion area and attended Clarion Public Schools graduating from high school in the class of 1961. During his youth he played football, track and wrestling and was active in FFA.

In addition to participation in many school activities Gary spent a great amount of time helping out with the many tasks and duties on the farm with his father. This is where his life long hard work ethic was planted in his character and was a belief that he shared with his children.

After graduation Gary served in the United State Armed Forces and the Army Nation Guard for a total of 7 years. He commenced his tenure in March 1961 and served active duty until March 1964 and was Honorably Discharged as a PFC. and then continued to serve in the Army National Guard until February 1967.

Gary met the love of his life Carolyn Cummings when she was employed as a Car Hop at the A & W Drive In in Belmond. This special meeting lead to a favorite past time the two of them shared in their love for roller skating at the Roller Rink near Lake Cornelia. Gary and Carolyn were united in marriage on May 26, 1963. The couple's union was bless with three daughters Angela, Paula and Jennifer and a son Daniel. For the next 57 years the couple lived in Belmond where they enjoyed raising their children.

Initially Gary worked as a farm hand for the Keller family for a period of time before he began a life long career as a professional truck driver. Early on he drove trucks for Coke and Umthun Trucking Company and eventually owned and operated his own semi tractor and drove as "G.D. Skiye Trucking, Inc.". Later he went on to truck for Commercial Services, Inc.. Gary had an engineering mind and loved to build things with his hands and do remodeling and construction jobs which lead him to operating his own "Skiye Handyman Service" for many years. Though he had retired from trucking full time he also had drove for a number of years shuttling employees for the railroad.

Gary and Carolyn had loved to attend and support their children and grandchildren in all their many endeavors and extra-curricular activities and rarely missed dance recital, soccer or basketball game, or other activities. He and Carolyn would make every effort to be at family events, baptisms, weddings, funerals, graduations or whatever the special occasion may have been. His grandkids cherish memories of him and grandma Carolyn attending dozens of "Grand Parents' Days" over the years at their schools. Gary and Carolyn were the two biggest cheerleaders in their lives. Gary looked forward to helping his grandson build Pinewood Derby Cars and they were fortunate enough to be champions three years in a row. Gary and Carolyn enjoyed countless hours of relaxation and enjoyment relaxing while fishing on area lakes and they often shared this passion with their children and grandkids. Gary and Carolyn had taking their family on fishing excursions up North as well. He loved to catch Northern, Walleyes, and Crappies. Gary enjoyed Carolyn's kitchen creations but wasn't opposed to sharing a bit of his own culinary delights as well. Family recalls him making mouthwatering chili, delicious home made cinnamon rolls, and a wide variety of breads and of course he was a "Master of the Grill!!" He and his wife loved gardening and looked forward to canning and making all kinds of sauces and other goodies. He was even known to concoct made from scratch Play-Doh for them. He loved to watch and feed the birds and enjoyed listening to the sounds of the 50's, Beach Boys, Dion, Jan & dean and classic country artists such as Johnny Cash.

He was always fixing and tinkering on things and often times had a project going here and there. He and Carolyn looked forward to opportunities to help their kids and their families do various projects as well over the years. If he wasn't able to be there to fix something or if they needed advice or instructions as only dad could give, Gary would always be willing to lend his two cents. They will truly miss being able to bounce things off him and all his support and they will think of him when someone is whistling, as more often than not he was filling the air with his whistle as he went about they day. His family, grandkids, and friends will miss his colorful story telling and words of wisdom. He always shared his opinion! He was a man very proud of all of his family, a man meticulous in all he did, who truly believed in hard work and respect for one another.

Gary had a love for speed that commenced in earlier years when he would spend time with his brother Duane and when he would drag race on the back roads on the way home from leave during the military years and this love for speed continued through out they years as he looked forward to watching Nascar and following his favorite driver, Jeff Gordon. Gary enjoyed a wide variety of television shows and often times if one would stop to see him might find him on the couch or chair with side kick "Cat" watching Nova, Crime Shows, Mystery of Oak Island, Survivor, Amazing Race, How Things Were Made, or cheering for his favorite Hawkeyes as they played in one of their games and of course he would have an ice cold Diet Coke and bowl of "Waves' chips within reach. Gary very much enjoyed his many conversations with his neighbors and niece Bobbi (Ed) Miller and Brooklyn and their families over the years and the support they had shown him since Carolyn passed last July. He was a very generous man who gave his support to the Boy Scout's of America, Special Olympics, Veteran's, and various other organizations.

His memory will be carried forward in the hearts and minds of his loving children and their families including daughters Angela Covington (Manuel Lerna), Alden, IA, Paula (Randy) Schnell, Clear Lake, IA; son Daniel Skiye, Mason City, IA, and daughter Jennifer (Jerry) Headington, Pleasant Hill, IA; 14 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and their families along with many friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father; his in-laws Roy and Lenore "Jo" Cummings, wife Carolyn F. Skiye on July 2, 2020, siblings Marlene Harty, Duane Skiye, Sandy Stokke, and infant sister Deloris Skiye, granddaughter Sarah Skiye, grandson Connor Skiye, nephews Rob Skiye and Dwight Martin and sisters-in-law Marilyn Dillion and Sharon Skrovig, son-in-law Dale Covington and a brother-in-law Ken Skrovig. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, Iowa.

https://www.andrewsfuneralhomeandfloral.com/obituary/gary-skiye