Gary Kay Sheppick's Obituary
Gary Kay Sheppick was born September 4, 1952 to Claude Junior and Ardeth Arlene Skinner Sheppick in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the second of four children in their family.
Gary grew up in Magna, Utah. He, his older brother and friends all had the fun and adventures of boys growing up in a small town. Then there were hills to climb, fields to play in, and many places not far from home to explore and discover!
Gary attended Magna Elementary, and Brockbank Jr. High Schools. He was friendly and outgoing. He loved learning new things! At Cyprus High, he was involved in track and served as a waterboy for the football team. He was proud of those involvements and wore his letterman’s jacket with pride that represented the “Cyprus Pirates.” He graduated in 1970.
He got a job working at a local full-service gas station. He pumped gas, checked the oil level, washed windows, put air in tires, etc. He then obtained a job at the Kennecott Copper Corporation at the Smelter. Always wanting to learn new skills, he went to school part time to qualify for better positions there.
Gary met Dana Long in High School and they soon became best friends. They dated through her Senior year and were engaged in April of 1971. They were married January 20, 1972 in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for time and all eternity.
To fulfill his military obligation at that time, Gary enlisted for a two-year stint in the United States Marine Corps. After “boot camp” in San Diego, his next “duty station” was Quantico, Virginia for three months at Computer Sciences School where he completed a concentrated course on the IBM 1401 computer. For the next year and a half, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, so he and Dana moved and made their home in Oceanside. Since the IBM 1401 was being phased out, Gary was assigned duties as an on-the-job COBOL (computer) trainee. He learned quickly to apply his knowledge to program necessary applications. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal from active duty in May of 1974.
Gary and Dana moved back to Utah, where Gary’s position at Kennecott was guaranteed. They made their homes “close to home” in West Valley City and have lived in their current home 47 years. Gary retired from Kennecott Copper Corporation after 30 years. He then gained employment at the Salt Lake County Jail working in the maintenance department. He worked there from September 2001 – October 2012. He really enjoyed that job. He enjoyed the work and treasured the friends he made there.
Tonya, Melanie, and Adam are Gary and Dana’s three wonderful children. Just some of the most memorable times spent together are camping, going to Pioneer Day Parades and the zoo with cherished friends, day drives to enjoy beautiful mountain scenery, going to drive-in movies, a weekend jaunt to Vernal with grandparents, and a couple of vacations to Southern California.
Gary had many varied interests through the years. He always enjoyed hunting. He loved fishing from his boat and had his favorite places to go. He enjoyed computers and always liked anything to do with the latest electronics. He liked photography and the challenge of doing creative things (like double exposures, etc.) to make a photo unique. He really liked woodworking and made many useful things. He was an avid BYU football fan. (He even had season tickets with his Dad a couple of years.) His latest passion was fly fishing. He even tied many of his own flies. He went fishing every chance he got! He really liked fishing the Provo River and was even interviewed there by Matt Rascon for a segment on BYU TV. He ALWAYS had a very deep tan!
Gary loved being with family! So often when we gathered, he’d get so emotional! He loved the Grandkids and adored the Great-Grandchildren! (After he retired and had more time at home, he realized even more how special it is to be around them!) He would look around at his posterity, look at Dana and say “Can you believe all of this is because of us?” Yes! All because two people fell in love!
Gary was diagnosed in 2007 with Parkinson’s Disease. He endured many of its debilitating symptoms that no one could see. He had “Deep Brain Stimulation” surgery in July of 2015 that gave him four and a half years of better health. Oh, how grateful he was for those healthier times for loving, fishing, and enjoying family and friends! After that though, his health declined, and in the last year, it declined rapidly. Gary passed away April 29, 2026 (His great-granddaughter’s first Birthday).
Gary is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Kent, and his sister Leslie Gage.
Gary is survived by his loving and devoted wife Dana; his children, Tonya (& Max) Lee, Melanie Seely, Adam (& Samantha); his grandchildren: Tyler (& Stella) Lee, Tracy (& Gunner) Gilley, Caitlyn (& Brady) Williamson, Alexa (& Tavian) Seely, Kenzie (& Jak) Sheppick, and Brooklyn Sheppick; his great-grandchildren: Hayden and Karsyn Williamson; his mother-in-law Carol Long and his sister Terry (& Craig) Bagley.
A viewing will be held Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 – 11:45 a.m. at the Jordan North 2nd Ward – 4270 South Falcon Street West Valley City, Utah. A funeral service will follow at Noon. Interment will be at the Valley View Memorial Park , Sage Garden - 4335 West 4100 South, West Valley City, Utah.
Those who wish to livestream the service may do so at the following link: https://youtube.com/@jordannorth2ndward854?feature=share
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