Gary Wayne Pepperling August 17, 1941 - March 18, 2011

Gary Pepperling passed away on March 18, 2011 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. His wife of 51 years was at his side. He was 69 years old and a lifetime resident of Sisters. At his request, no service will be held "until the damn snow goes away."

He was born August 17, 1941 in Lebanon, Oregon, to Delmar Pepperling and Eleanora Johnson Pepperling. In 1959 he joined the U.S. Navy. After boot camp he was transferred to Kingsville, Texas, where he served for one year. He was then transferred to Sasebor, Japan, where he served on the USS Bellatrix for 15 months. He was then transferred to the USS Ajax, where he served until his discharge in 1962. He was married to his wife, Diana Rowe, on April 25, 1960 while home on leave.

Gary loved the outdoors. He was an avid hunter, although in his later years he was more interested in watching deer and elk than in hunting them. He spent a lot of years on Canyon Creek fishing for bull trout. After it was closed for fishing he and his spouse loved to hike along the creek just spotting the trout.

Most of his working years were spent outdoors. He worked for the Forest Service and several loggers in the area. He also worked for Central Cedar Lumber Mill. After a bad accident in 1982 he had to give up logging, so he became a truck driver. He last worked for the Deschutes County Road Department. He loved the work and he loved the people he worked with. Throughout the last year it was always his dream to go back to work there.

Gary is survived by his wife Diana; two sons, Gary (Cathy) and Geoffrey; one daughter, Diedre; and six grandchildren: Anna, Nicholas, Aubrey and Natasha Pepperling, and Michael and Christopher Voorhies, all of Sisters. He is also survived by four sisters: Leona Gridley of Redmond, Delma Dickens of Marcola, Crystal Burton of Redmond and Lydia Pepperling of Caldwell, Idaho; one brother, Bruce Pepperling of Minnesota; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one stepbrother, Arthur Albertson; and his wife's parents, whom he loved. He was also preceded in death by one son, Clayton Dale Pepperling.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Knight Cancer Center at OHSU Hospital, at http://www.OHSU.edu/foundation/giving.