Oct 6, 1946 - Mar 25, 2018
Bernard Garfield Gale, better know as Gary or 'the Newfie', a proud United States Marine and Vietnam Veteran, has peacefully passed away and returned to star dust.
Gary was a man who was larger than life, unpredictable, fun, and who always stood up for the underdog. His motto was help don't hinder. He was always ready with a bad joke or a story. Gary would give you the shirt off his own back, and always helped those who needed it: unlocking car doors, finding car parts, and helping strangers get their cars back on the road.
He was described as part of the colourful 5 percent of Williams Lake. In recent years, you would find him parked at Tim Hortons in one of his many yellow trucks. Gary owned over 200 cars and loved his many four wheeled lawn ornaments. He was a proud member of the Lakers Car Club and Art Car Society of BC, as well as an active volunteer announcer for Thunder Mountain Speed Way and WESCAR.
His trucking career spanned 50 years and he often said it was a job that he would have paid someone to do. At the end of his career, he moved from 'right side to the left side', from driver to instructor helping many in the Cariboo Chilcotin region get their class one licence.
Gary leaves behind his loving wife, Nancy and his two children Bryan and Shirley-Pat, and son-in-law Dwayne who shared a life full of laughs with him. Gary often quoted Hunter S. Thompson to his daughter, stating that "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"
The Newfie will be missed by many. The family will hold a 'come and go' Memorial on the afternoon of Saturday, April 7th, 2018 starting at 1 pm at his family home at 1038 Dairy Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary's name can be made to the Cariboo Chilcotin Metis Association.