Gary L. McKee, who always loved family gatherings at the holidays, missed his first Thanksgiving this year.

He was born on an Indiana farm, the only child of Gerald and Mary McKee, and lived there until after graduating from high school. He married Patsy "Pat" Tipps in 1957, and embarked on two great journeys the very next year: undergraduate studies at Purdue University and fatherhood. Those first few years were hectic: Gary and Pat welcomed three sons within three years, while living in on-campus housing-a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment with a single living area-as Gary pursued his engineering studies!

With determination and perseverance (and possibly ear-plugs), Gary earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1963, and caught the eye of an up-and-coming company called Texas Instruments. That first job brought the young family to Texas, and Gary profited by the state's appeal to the tech industry. His career included stints at Datamate, Motorola and Microgate before he stepped into a well-earned retirement.

Texas was also a good fit for the active family, with weekends spent on the water at Lake Texoma or Lake Travis, overnight camp-outs, hunting and fishing, and golfing. One of Gary's proud moments was celebrating his first hole-in-one! His interests were many, and varied. He relished genealogical research, and jazz music. His mechanical bent found expression in the world of model trains and airplanes, and in tinkering with nearly anything (which occasionally involved breaking things). Gary also enjoyed traveling. Big Bend was a favorite destination, and led to a long-time gig as a judge for the famed Terlingua Chili Cook-off. He especially enjoyed the wild rush of riding the rapids as a "river rat", and navigated several of the best adventure waterways.

Eventually, health issues began to cut into some of these pursuits, and in 2013 he lost Pat to cancer. Family and friends rallied around, and it wasn't long before a new love stepped up to walk beside him. With Dolores "Dee" Cash, he found a companion for nine too-short years of travel and enjoying life, day by day, with friends and family.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents; by Pat, after 56 years of marriage; and by his eldest son and namesake, Gary Lee.

He is survived by his wife, Dee; by son Gary Lee's ex-wife Carolyn McKee and children Lori and Gerald (Lindsey) and by Gary Lee's widow Stephanie McKee and daughter Rachel Wirth; by son Gregory, his ex-wife Rachel McKee and their son Carter; and by son Geoffrey, wife Mia and their children Tara (Jonathan) and Christopher (Brystal). Gary also welcomed eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Gary's life is scheduled on Saturday, December 7, at 3:00pm, with reception following, at Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive, Georgetown, TX. Please join us! And please, no flowers. If you wish to make a memorial gift, the American Cancer Society is close to the family's heart. Finally, in this holiday season, hug your loved ones, hold them tight, and focus on making memories that make you smile the rest of your life.