Gary Wingard

Gary Lee Wingard, 76, of Colby, died Monday, May 11, 2015. He was born Oct 16, 1938 to Claude and Ethel (Starts) Wingard in Independence, KS. In 1956 Gary graduated High School in Guyman, Ok and attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University from 1956-1960. He then attended graduate school at Wichita State University for Speech Pathology from 1961-1962 and the University of Oklahoma for Speech Pathology and Audiology from 1962-1964. In 1975 he completed his Masters and Specialists degree at Fort Hays State University. He married Yvonne Mack on June 30, 1962 at St. Joseph’s Church in Bison, OK. Gary worked as an outreach speech pathologist with WSU before starting the first speech and hearing center west of Hays, KS. In 1975 he started working for USD 315 and then in 1985 transferred to the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center before returning to USD 315 in 1995. Gary also had a private practice that allowed him to provide speech rehabilitation through St. Thomas Hospital/ Citizens Medical Center for adult patients, mostly brain injury patients. Gary was a member of the Kansas Speech Language Hearing Association, a lifetime member of both the Kansas National Education Association and the American Speech Hearing Association and earned a Certificate of Clinical Competency. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and had served time as a Eucharistic Minister, Lector and doing Hospitality and on the Sacred Heart School Council, Parish Council and Finance Council. He was a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus and was part of the Bowling team. Gary was a conservationist and enjoyed wildlife, hunting and outdoor activities. He also enjoyed all sports and competition, golfing and having coffee with the guys at COOP. He loved having a “full house” and this included hosting foreign exchange students.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife Yvonne, of the home; five children, Melissa (Douglas Jr.) Bentley, of Palm Coast, FL, Melinda (William Hulse) Wingard, of Evergreen, CO, Michael (Annette) Wingard, of McAllen, TX, Mark (Randy Parks) Wingard, of Kansas City, MO and Monica (Joe Schlut) Wingard, of Boulder, CO; two sisters, Teresa (John) Madden and Donna (Howard) Tuttle; three grandchildren, Douglas Bentley III, Katherine Bentley and Wyatt Schlut and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be 10:00am – 8:00pm on Friday, May 15, 2015 at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby with vigil service starting at 7:00pm. Funeral Mass will be 10:30am on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Colby. Burial will be in the Bison Cemetery in Bison, OK. Memorials are suggested to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, KS Special Olympics or the City of Colby for Villa High Park Restoration in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby KS 67701. Online condolences: www.baalmannmortuary.com