Gary Lee Epps was born to Howard Lee and Luella Mae Epps in 1942 in Denver, CO. His family moved to Seattle, and he attended Van Asselt Elementary, Sharples Junior High, and Cleveland High School, where he was senior class president. After graduating from Cleveland in 1960, he married Roberta Schenken, and they had two children, Tim and Jennifer. In 1967, he showed his adventuresome spirit by taking his family to live in Australia for two years, where he worked on various newspapers as a type-setter. When they returned, his life was enriched by helping start the Hillwood Soccer Club and coaching both his children’s soccer teams, camping, moving to a career in insurance sales, and singing barbershop harmony. After his children were raised, Gary’s life changed. In 1987, he married Lee Craig and spent the next 36 years working hard and playing just as hard. He enjoyed performing with barbershop harmony choruses and quartets, traveling with the Pieces of Eight quartet, singing with Lee in a mixed quartet, attending Richmond Beach Congregational Church, where he sang in the choir and performed in the RBCC Players theatrical productions, volunteering as a Rotarian, going on horseback adventures with his daughter, Jennifer, having a beer at the tree-table with his best friends, going on trips and cruises with Lee, and cheering for his beloved Seattle Sounders.
Gary was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2019 and passed away from that disease on March 10, 2023. To say that Gary was well loved is an understatement. His laugh is still echoing in the stratosphere where he is looking for a good game of cribbage. His death leaves a hole in the lives of those who loved him, and we miss him every day. Gary, your music and your love will live in our hearts forever.
Gary's memorial service is April 16 at 2:00pm. and can be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiDviUvAP4