Friday, August 8, 2025
First I would like to express my deepest condolences to Gary’s family and loved ones.
We were classmates at Hanover Area and I’d like to share a memory of seventh grade.
Gary and I shared a few things in common: A love for humor & mischief and smashed fingers. We enjoyed many a laughs together that year in school.
Our fingers.
I had an index finger I introduced to a steel window fan blade at about age seven. Left me with a split nail and slightly altered finger tip. Gary showed me his thumb that he altered with the use of a train car coupler! Luckily only the tip and nail of his were altered.
It was how he described the incident of getting up on the coupler to get to the other side of the train. He heard the bang, bang, bang of the cars as the engine began to pull the slack out of the train. He said he instinctively grabbed hold so as to not fall off when his car jerked forward. Unfortunately he grabbed hold of the coupler with one hand! It was just the tip of the thumb and nail which was pinched but how he described the lightening bolt of pain he experienced immediately. Then the description of a nurse cleaning the wound with a brush and soap. Gary said he felt like he was going to go through the roof like a rocket!
I reflected on our stories and shared them many times throughout my carrier when giving safety briefings and trading stories of life.
Gary and I shared many laughs that year and I’m grateful for that.
