Newspaper Abstracts, West Virginia

1 record

  • The Marietta Times, Parkersburg, WV, online edn, 12 Sep 2024
    Gary Edwin Sackett, 79, born December 28, 1944, of Williamstown, died unexpectedly on the weekend of September 7, 2024.
    Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur and Imogene Sackett. He is survived by his son, James (Melissa) Merrow, two grandchildren, Faye and Greta Merrow, and a sister, Lucy (Bill) Elkovitch.
    Gary was a very kind soul who never knew a stranger. He spent the last 15 years of his career serving the senior citizens of the O’Neill Senior Center in Marietta, Ohio, as a driver – a role that he took seriously and served with great pride. He made it his personal ministry to engage with and listen to all of the stories of the seniors who encountered him and they loved him for his gentle demeanor.
    Gary had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed physical fitness as well as many outdoor hobbies such as water skiing, hiking, biking, kayaking, and motorcycling. If the streets were dry, Gary would not hesitate to ride his motorcycle in temperatures well below freezing. In his 60’s, Gary took on the challenging task of learning to ride a unicycle. He succeeded quickly and became known around his hometown as "the unicycle guy".
    Gary also found a loving and welcoming church family at First Baptist Church in Williamstown. He tried very hard to attend every early Sunday morning service. Gary was a spontaneous free spirit who loved the simple things in life. He was not an individual who could be tied down, nor kept from being outside, enjoying each season to the fullest. It was most important to Gary that his personal free will always remained exclusively his to keep – even in his struggles with dementia.
    It was discovered that Gary was missing and in need of urgent help during the weekend of the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival. In a strong display of true human kindness and brotherly love, the community swiftly and generously responded with vast resources in attempt to locate Gary, including multiple West Virginia and Ohio police and fire departments, Air National Guard, several service dog teams, organized church search parties, private search groups, multiple drone teams, private boats, and a private helicopter. The family is overwhelmed with gratitude for the collective, kind community response that led to locating Gary on Sunday, September 8.
    The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the life-long friends and members of the community who supported Gary during his most difficult years while he was battling dementia.
    A graveside service will be held for Gary at 1pm on Saturday, September 14 at Riverview Cemetery in Williamstown. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the O’Neill Senior Center in Marietta, Ohio.
    [Transcribed by Chris Sackett]