GIFT, Gary RAndolph

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Sunday, February 22, 2015 Gary Randolph Gift, of Prescott, Arizona, passed away quietly on Feb. 18, 2015, after a courageous two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Gary was born to the late Ozra Gift and Georgia (Snyder) Gift on May 2, 1939, in Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri and graduated from Webster Groves High School in 1957, where he was an accomplished athlete, excelling in basketball, football and his great love, baseball. He went on to pursue a bachelor's degree at Washington University, and had a successful career as a senior sales executive and business owner in the flexible packaging industry. After living in many cities throughout the U.S., he finally settled in Prescott, Ariz., where he had lived for the past 15 years. In addition to his parents, Gary was predeceased by his sister Bernadine (Gift)Morgan. He is survived by siblings Charles Douglas Gift of St. Louis, Missouri and Janet Addison of Fayette, Missouri; his beloved children Tracy Johnson (Robert) of Souderton, Pennsylvania, Laura Hart (Michael) of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Jesse Gift of Phoenix, Arizona and Alex Gift of Prescott. He was also the proud grandfather of Tyler and Haley Johnson and Sam and Olivia Hart. Gary was a loving father, an avid reader, a sports enthusiast who enjoyed golfing, traveling, spending time with his family and volunteering with the Veterans History Project at the Prescott VA Hospital. He was also an active member of his church community. To know Gary was to like him. He was magnanimous, had a competitive spirit and was perpetual student of life. He had a wonderful sense of humor and took a genuine interest in everyone he met. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 630 Park Ave., Prescott, Arizona, with a reception to follow. The Rev. Mark Tilly will officiate the service. All are invited to attend and celebrate Gary's life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Gary's name to one of the following organizations: Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, Attn: Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation/Research Institute, 10001 N. 92nd Street, Suite 121, Scottsdale, AZ 85258; Prescott VA, Veterans History Project, reference #9036, 500 Highway 89N, Prescott, AZ 86313; or Trinity Presbyterian Church, 630 Park Ave., Prescott, AZ 86303. Condolences may be sent to 1348 Kwana Court, Prescott, AZ 86301 and photos and words of remembrance are welcome at www.facebook.com/RememberGaryGift. Funeral services were trusted to Wakelin Family Funeral Homes. Please visit www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign his guestbook. Information provided by survivors.