Gary Robert Wiley was born on May 22, 1947 at the Yorkton Hospital, the eldest son of Bert and Deloise Wiley of the Perley District, near Saltcoats, SK. He passed away peacefully on March 20, 2015 at St. Paul Lutheran Home in Melville, SK. Gary was very proud of his family's history, having lived most of his life on the farm homesteaded in 1884 by his great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather. He had a deep appreciation of history and enjoyed treasure hunting at auctions and garage sales. Gary enjoyed time spent with family and friends - hunting, fishing, playing games and cards and attending family gatherings. A thin man all his life, he enjoyed good food and lots of it, especially the desserts with ice cream on top! His grandchildren, nieces and nephews will always remember his stories, the teasing and horseplay that he enjoyed so much! His grandchildren were the apple of his eye and he loved to pass down his tales and words of wisdom, often not endorsed by their parents! A gifted mechanic and inventor, Gary was able to fix almost anything with recyclable materials. If someone had an idea, Gary could create a plan to build it. The problem was getting it made before a new plan took over his attention! He enjoyed working the land and gardening. He worked for several farmers over the years and liked to tell the stories from two winters he spent lumber jacking north of Prairie River, SK. Gary's main priority each year was getting enough wood out of the bush to create a large woodpile for the winter. He invented and built a wood splitter out of an old baler which is still in use today. His gardening experiments, maple syrup making, reading of old books, etc. are a tribute to his inquisitive mind. All you had to say was, "I wonder what would happen if . . ." and Gary would be sure to find out. Gary was predeceased by his parents, Bert and Del Wiley. He's fondly remembered by his sons, James (Charmaine), Francis (Jackie) and Joseph (Angie) and grandchildren, Dylan (Ashana), Delilah, Chloe, Samantha (Jordan), Bryan (Donna) and great-grandchild, Kayleen. Also by his brothers, Garvin (Karen), Dean (Merle) and Don; his sister, Maureen (Larry) and numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He'll also be missed by good friends, Kaj and Renee and girls, Lannie and Laurie and Galen and Val. A family gathering in Gary's memory will be held at a later date in the summer - Gary so disliked being cold!!!! Gary's family wish to thank everyone who helped him in his later years and special thanks for the compassionate care and attention from the Betheny Way staff, who became like family to him! Friends so wishing may forward their condolences to the family by visiting www.christiesfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Christie's Funeral Home & Crematorium, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
