Gary Lynn Shields
January 27, 2011
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Service Details
Gary Lynn Shields, 62, passed away Thursday, January 27, 2011, at the VA Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, after a six year battle with COPD and cancer.
Gary was born February 4, 1948, in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan to Ray E. and Evelyn (Adair) Shields. His father, an independent oil well driller, followed the oil fields through central and southern US and eventually his family settled in Lovington, New Mexico. He joined the Navy, served during the Vietnam conflict and was honorably discharged.
He worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad out of Kansas City and eventually moved to Des Moines where he was associated with Iowa Realty for a number of years and the USPS.
In 1989 he married the love of his life, Carol (Tinnell) Stevens. They enjoyed twenty-one years together. Gary loved participating in and watching sports of all kinds on TV, especially golf. He was especially proud of three recorded holes in one.
Survivors include his wife Carol, brother Ray (Kay) Shields of Hot Springs, Arkansas; sister Carolyn (Bill) Garvin of Hobbs, New Mexico; nieces; great nieces; great nephews; beloved companion Maggie and son Jason. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Per his request, Gary will be cremated and there will be no services.
Online condolences may be made to:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Terry Mahan
12/05/2011
Very sorry to hear of Gary's passing. I always considered him one of my best friends when we were growing up. I spent many nights at his house and he spent many with me when we were kids ! Through our later years we did talk a couple of times on the phone, and tried to catch up on the past 40 or so years. He was a great guy. He will be missed . Our thoughts are with you.
Rebecca Oglesby Leimon
08/08/2011
So sorry for your loss. Lovington was a small town and everybody knew
everybody. May you find comfort and peace.
Carolyne & Garry Budgell
02/03/2011
So sorry to hear of Gary's passing. You've been in our thoughts and prayers constantly! We've lost contact the last few years but our memories never fade of the times and experiencies we've had over the years. One that comes to mind is the 4 of us camping and the racoons' visiting. We sure had lots of laughs over that!
Hope all you're wonderful memories bring a smile to your heart. We'll be in touch.
Jason, Valerie, Dylan Marquardt
01/29/2011
We were very sorry to hear of Gary's passing. Gary was always very nice to me and I enjoyed playing golf with him in my early 20's at Indianola Country Club. Gary was at my parents house, trying to grill hamburgers for everyone after my Grandma passed away back in 1996. It may have been the worst grilled hamburger I ever had in my life, but Gary was there trying to support our family in any way possible, so I always appreciated that. He was always the first to cheer me when I graduated from college and got married, both also in 1996. He will be truly missed! I always considered him a friend.