April 21, 1942 — September 21, 2026

With courage, strength and grace, Gary (Dad, Papa, Grandpa) peacefully slipped away as the sun set on the final day of summer, September 21, 2026, in Kamloops, BC, surrounded by the love of his family.

Born in Vancouver on April 21, 1942, he was the only child to Frank and Mona Wallace. As an adolescent, he took up boxing and steadily developed his skills, eventually becoming a contender in Vancouver’s 1960 Golden Gloves tournament. He continued working ringside as a timekeeper into the 1980s with his most memorable ringside match being the George Chuvalo/Mohammed Ali fight in May of 1972. He spent most of his teen years in the Sunset neighborhood of Vancouver swimming, diving, dancing and having fun with friends. After he graduated from John Oliver High School in 1960, he joined the Canadian Navy and spent the next couple years sailing the west coast on the HMCS Saguenay, being deployed during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Following his discharge from the Navy, he worked as a lineman for BC Tel for over 30 years, retiring in 1995.

He married Evelyn Swash (nee Chernoff) in October 1965, raising three children: Deborah, Daniel and Dale. They moved from the rainy Surrey suburbs to the sagebrush hills of Barnhartvale in the summer of 1972. Following their divorce in the late 70s, he met Myrna Marsh (nee Reid) and they married at the Barnhartvale house at 1023 Wildwood Drive on August 24, 1991. Along with her three girls, Lori, Trudy and Wendy, the combined family soon became known as “the Brady Bunch”.

Gary had many passions, starting with Scouts Canada in the early 70s. Known as Akela to many young men, he led a Cub Scout group in Surrey and then 1st Barnhartvale Cubs until 1976. He was also a volunteer member of the Sullivan Volunteer Fire Department in Surrey and then with the Kamloops Fire Department at what later became Station No. 6 in Dallas. Gary went on to become a lifelong fan of WHL hockey in Kamloops, cheering on the Kamloops Chiefs, Kamloops Junior Oilers and then the Kamloops Blazers. He will long be remembered for his distinguished loud voice calling “50/50 tickets” at home games. He also volunteered for several years at the Kamloops International Bantam Hockey Tournament (KIBIHT). Throughout the years, he also found joy in coaching women’s softball, first with Deb in Surrey and then Lori in PeeWee, Bantam and Midget softball (the Gulf Oilers) from 1980 to 1986, winning the Bantam provincial championships in 1984 followed by a silver medal in the 1985 Summer Games. His social and military service passions came together at the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Clubs (ANAVETS) where his 60-year membership was shared with Unit 126 in Vancouver and Unit 290 in Kamloops.

He loved to fish and explore the local lakes and campsites with Myrna, spending sharing time with lifelong friends Della and Wayne Lyons at Knouff and Badger Lakes in their RVs. Gary and Myrna also made many annual trips to Green Lake, Saskatchewan, fishing and camping with Myrna’s siblings. Following their retirement, they travelled abroad, exploring places like Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, Hawaii, Eastern Canada and a three-month holiday in Nashville and southwestern USA. At home, he was pretty handy in his workshop, building collapsible tables, wishing wells, birdhouses and other knickknacks for friends and family.

Gary was deeply loved and respected by family and friends. Naturally charismatic and charming, he was full of fun, reminiscing and laughter, always bringing a welcoming smile, handshake or hug. He also had a generous supply of mints in his pocket!

He is survived by his wife Myrna; daughter Deb, son Dan (Dawn) and son Dale; stepdaughters Lori, Trudy and Wendy; grandchildren Lindsey, Kristin, Scott, Koltin, Sean, Cameron, Reid and Travis; great grandchildren Theodore, Audre, Theodore, Nora, Kaitu and Jasper; relatives and many lifelong friends. He was predeceased by his father, Frank in 1982, his mother, Mona in 1984 and his ex-wife, Evelyn (Cricket) in 2019.

Gary will be remembered for his kindness, generosity and the many lives he touched along the way. He leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, hard work and countless memories shared with family and friends. We will all miss him dearly.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the North Kamloops Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) Club, Unit 290 on April 21, 2027, commencing at 1 pm.

• Date : 2026-09-21
• Location : Kamloops