Gary died at home on the evening of March 7. Gary took over as Treasurer and Membership director in 1988 when we had 56 members, now nine of them remain. He was only our second treasurer and membership director, in 33 years!
MMA was important to him. At the end of David’s presentation last week he wondered when the next was, and was visibly disappointed that it wouldn’t be until 14 April. He totally enjoyed that Mary Yurlina scheduled programs for December for the past two years. He was a total Luddite, refusing to take his computer (yes, he had one) out of the closet, preferring to maintain membership data in a card file, and typing the list on his old manual typewriter. But he would travel hours for a program or foray, drawing the line only when we went to Aroostook, though he said that’s where his grandmother was born. He came to Maine from Oregon, and though he missed the phenomenal mushrooms of the temperate rain forest, he seemed to plant himself in Maine without regrets.
After he retired, and even before, he was dedicated to taking care of the widows in his neighborhood: no matter how snarly some of them were, and some of them were, extremely, he was kind to them, taking them places, shoveling them out, watching after them.
Do you remember that Gary always came up with some of the most interesting finds at forays, showing them almost reluctantly after we were well into discussion? Do you know that he found them by showing up at every foray earlier than everyone else? For such a tall man, he was good at finding the small, most obscure fungi.
Some remembrances, feelings from other members: dear, dear man; speechless and bereft; heartbroken; quiet but strong enthusiasm about everything fungi; will miss his dryly witty treasury reports; quiet, unassuming man, attending every foray I’ve ever been to; Mr. Reliable. Such a loss; I’ve known him 30 years, and will miss him.
~ Michaeline Mulvey
Maine Mycological Association 