Gary Lee Whiting's Obituary
Gary Lee Whiting passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on April 24, 2025 at the age of 81.
Gary was born November 25, 1943 to Fred Arthur and Lula Maxine Briggs Whiting in American Fork, Utah. He was the first of two sons. He graduated from Highland High School, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Brigham Young University, and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant from the United States Air Force ROTC. He served as an LDS missionary in the Southwest British Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ. He and his cherished wife, Connee Jeffery were married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 10, 1967.
Gary worked in sales and sales management at KSL Radio and Television and retired after 33 great years. During that time, he spent 14 years in radio with various positions including Account Executive, National Sales Manager, Local Sales Manager, and Director of Sales. He received the Distinguished Salesman Award from the Utah Sales and Marketing Executives. The last 19 years of employment were spent in television as an Account Executive, and National Sales Manager. He also served as the combined National Sales Manager for both Radio and Television working with approximately 250 representatives in 33 offices across the country. He loved the broadcast industry, and had many fond memories of sales clients and experiences.
In addition, he worked tirelessly as a Reserve Air Force Officer. During that time, he spent 31 years connected directly to the Admission’s Office of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He worked in varying capacities from Liaison Officer, to Deputy Commander and Commander of the Utah Liaison Officers. As such he was responsible for Utah’s Air Force Academy Admissions, and assisting in Utah’s AFROTC Scholarship Program. He was awarded Outstanding Liaison Officer Commander for the Western United States, and received the Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious service. He enjoyed working with many outstanding young men and women from the State of Utah who went to the academy, and became Air Force Officers. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel June 25, 1994.
He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had a great experience serving in the South West British Mission and later called in 1998 to be a Stake Missionary in the Willowcreek Stake. As he finished this Mission, he was asked by Bishop Openshaw if he would be the Ward Mission Leader for the Willowcreek 4th Ward. He was still trying to recover from mononucleosis, and wasn’t feeling that great, but decided to take a leap of faith and accepted his third Mission for the Church. It turned out to be a wonderful experience as he worked with the full-time Missionaries from the Salt Lake Mission. He taught many people in and around his Stake, as well as part member families.
Gary had many callings from Elder’s Quorum President, High Priest Assistant, Assistant Executive Secretary, Young Men’s President, Sunday School President, Ward Clerk, and various teaching positions.
One of his favorite times was working with his wife at the Draper Temple as ordinance workers for almost 7 years. He and his wife later served as Coordinators of the Sandy LDS Employment Office as Church Service Missionaries for two years. This was an experience they both loved while working together, and serving the Lord. Gary continued working as an ordinance worker for several more years. All of these experiences in holding various positions in the ward, stake, temple have been such a blessing in his life, and he have seen blessings bestowed upon his sweetheart and their family. He said, “The Lord has been so good to us!!!”
Perhaps less well known was his mastery of making a chocolate wheat cake with victory frosting from scratch. He also made the best egg and cheese omelets, and loved to cook on the grill. He always had a talent for art, and loved to draw. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. Some of his best times were teaching his grandchildren how to draw cartoons of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Bugs Bunny, and other cartoon characters. In his later years he took up oil painting, and enjoyed many hours painting various subject matters from landscapes, to people, animals, and areas of interest from numerous trips to different parts of the world. He loved his two beautiful daughters, and his caring son and each of their spouses. He said the thing that would bring him the greatest joy in life would be seeing all of his children and spouses, grandchildren and spouses, and great grandchildren as active members in the church with growing testimonies.
He and his darling wife, Connee, were blessed with opportunities to travel widely across the world to approximately 36 different countries, and enjoyed seeing many different cultures all around the world. He was always looking forward to the next trip and seeing an area they hadn’t seen before. Now he is seeing a new area that he hasn’t seen before, and moving to a very small apartment in Lehi Utah.
He is survived by, Connee Jeffery Whiting, his “Great Royal Wife”, and their three children: daughters Staci Firl, Hollii Despain (Jared), and son Scott Whiting (Anneliese), five granddaughters, and five grandsons, and four great grandsons, and his brother, Gregory L. Whiting (Joey). He was loved and called grandpa by many of his nieces and nephews whom he adored.
-On May 10, a visitation will be held from 9-11am prior to a memorial service at 11am in the Willow Creek Stake Center, 2350 East Creek Road, Sandy, Utah.
A grave side service with military honors will be held with immediate family on May 9th.
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