Gary K. Gragson's Obituary
Gary K. Gragson, age 70, died Monday, August 1st at a Rehabilitation Center in Honolulu following a brief hospital stay. Gary is survived by his wife, Linoma of Honolulu, Hawaii, his sister and brother-in-law Linda & Bill Booth of Butte, Montana and sister-in-law and brother-in law Ramona & Nick Weighton of Denver, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ardys and Waldo Keith Gragson.
Gary was born on August 7, 1945 in Omaha, Nebraska. His family lived in several states while his father worked for Firestone Tire and Rubber and moved to Kearney, Nebraska after his father died. Gary was 12 years old at the time and from that time forward Gary always had a job. While attending school Gary worked at whatever jobs a young boy of his age could obtain in a small town in Nebraska. In addition to working, Gary lettered in football, basketball and track and was on the tennis, golf and bowling teams. He graduated from Kearney High School in 1963. Gary attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln as well as Kearney State Teachers College, Kearney, Nebraska and the University of Hawaii, Honolulu.
Gary and his high school sweetheart, Linoma Styskal were married in 1967 at Fort Benning, Georgia where he was attending Army Officer Candidate School. Following a tour in Vietnam as an Infantry Officer in 1969 Gary was stationed at the R&R Center in Waikiki where Linoma joined him. Gary fell in love with the islands and he never left.
Gary spent most of his adult working years in the insurance industry. He was the General Agent for Mutual of New York and then Guardian Life Insurance Company. Gary was a big man with an even bigger heart and he loved working with people of all sorts.
After Linoma became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses Gary’s joke was that they could go house-to-house together. When householders rejected Linoma’s suggestion that they could live forever on a paradise earth, Gary could suggest that they get some life insurance. Although not a witness, Gary always supported Linoma in her faith and told everyone that, if the witnesses had it right, it truly is good news that people of all nations need to know.
Memorial Service will be held at Diamond Head Mortuary on Saturday morning September 17th. Visitation is at 10:00 a.m. and the service is at 11.00 a.m. followed by lunch. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Private internment of ashes will be done at a time and place to be determined.
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