Rolland Richard Gary, age 95, of Toledo and formerly of Montour, passed away Saturday, February 2, 2013 at Carrington Place of Toledo. Funeral Services with Masonic Rites will be held Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 10:30 AM at the Living Faith United Methodist Church in Tama with Pastor Brian Oliver officiating. Interment will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery in Montour.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
Rolland was born on June 9, 1917, at the home of his parents Charles and Mary (Aldrich) Gary, south of Montour, IA.
He attended Highland #2 school through the 8th grade, and graduated from Montour High School in 1936. He attended Iowa State University where he took a herdsman's short course.
On September 11, 1941, he was united in marriage to Bessie Booth at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. Rolland and Bessie farmed south of Montour on the Gary home farm. Following farm retirement in 1968, he was employed by the South Tama Schools until retirement in 1987. On July 26, 2000, they moved to the Village Apartments in Toledo. He and Bessie moved into Carrington Place in 2007. He was a member of the Living Faith United Methodist Church, where he served as usher, lay leader, board member, and on many committees. During his lifetime of farming he enjoyed working with horses and was very proud of the pony hitches and wagons that he showed in many parades. He was a fifty-year member of the Masonic Lodge, first in Montour later the Hiram of Tyre Lodge #118 in Tama-Toledo. Rolland was a former 4-H leader in Highland Township and enjoyed visiting with friends and relatives.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife of seventy-years, Bessie on March 8, 2012; and a son-in-law, Kenny Lowry.
Survivors include a daughter Kay Lowry of Gladbrook; a son Larry (B.J. Moore) Gary of Hurricane, UT; five grandchildren, Mark (Linda) Lowry of Gladbrook, Kathy (Scott) Vavroch of Gladbrook, Paul (Kari) Lowry of Platte City, MO, Derek Gary of DeKalb, IL, Hilary (Andy) Raih of DeKalb, IL; four great-granddaughters, Kendra Vavroch, Kayla Vavroch, Sydney Vavroch and Lily Raih; one brother, Gaylord Gary of Waukee; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to Living Faith United Methodist Church.