Gary Frey lived 74 years filled with love, loyalty, laughter and hard work. Though heart disease was part of his journey, it never slowed his ability to love deeply or show up for the people who mattered most. Gary, one of nine children of the late Werner and Leona (Haselwander) Frey, spent his childhood growing up on Maple Street in Sauk City. He was raised in a home where most things were shared; from bikes to beds. He would tell stories from his childhood with a grin; how he and 2 brothers got identical sweatshirts for Christmas each year or about the time he knocked out all the windows of the chicken coop. Gary learned early how to make a little go a long way, saving his money for Maxwell Street days, when five cents bought a bag of peas for his pea shooter. He could throw a baseball farther than most of the neighborhood boys and later loved telling his grandchildren that "back in the day" he could throw nearly half the length of a football field. The memories he shared from his youth, even though some were built on their hardships, showed that there was always room for humor and a good laugh. As Gary grew into adulthood, his playful spirit led him to a moment that would define the rest of his life.

He met the love of his life at age 16, Betty (Pertzborn), at the Roxbury Church picnic. From that day on, there was little he wouldn't do to see her, including hitchhiking to Springfield Corners in his cutoff shorts and no shoes. With his curly blond hair and infectious laugh, Gary won the heart of the woman who would stand by his side for the next 52 years. He often said that meeting her was the greatest gift of his life, and he cherished that gift every single day. Gary's loyalty and hard work carried into his work.

For 36 years, he drove redi-mix truck for Lycon, a job he knew inside and out and took great pride in doing well. He had a sharp eye for the low spots on any job site, and crews were always glad to see truck 13 pull in, knowing they were getting someone who genuinely cared about the work being done. Gary had a strong sense of direction and could find nearly any city and navigate all the back roads. Though heart disease eventually forced him into retirement, Gary never truly stopped being a redi-mix driver, always pointing out how things should be done or smiling as he noticed a job well done.

Nothing brought Gary greater joy than his family. When he and Betty welcomed their two daughters, Tara and Laila, Gary devoted himself fully to being the kind of father who would do anything for his girls. Whether it meant bailing them out of teenage mistakes or pulling up straight from work in his redi-mix truck at soccer games, he was always there.

Through his actions, he quietly modeled love and hard work every single day and those lessons live on in his daughters. Tara and Laila, along with his two beloved sons-in-law, Rick Skurulsky and Court Drescher, gave Gary the greatest joy of his later years: his seven grandchildren. For the past 23 years, Ella Rose, Samuel, Cora, Anna Leona, Emery, Addie, and Elise were truly the sparkle in his eye. He followed their passions with pride, asking about or cheering them on from soccer fields and basketball courts to dance recitals, never missing a chance to show up or call to let them know he was supporting them. Gary loved teaching his grandchildren the simple, meaningful things; especially how to plant a garden, build a campfire, or how to bait a hook. He was happy sending them home with a bag of vegetables or a jar of his homemade salsa or pickles. Along with Betty, cooking for his family was one of his greatest joys, teaching them how to roll out the perfect crust for his famous grilled pizza and explaining that every bite should have just the right balance of everything. In his final days, he shared with Betty how he knew the love his family had for him and just how lucky he was to have that feeling.

Gary always made time for the things he enjoyed. He could be found fishing at Fish Lake, riding his E-bike, or spending hours in the woods cutting firewood, making sure there was always enough for the next campfire. When Tara and Laila were young, he looked forward to the annual camping weekend in Rio with his siblings, nieces, and nephews; a tradition filled with laughter around late night campfires. Gary and Betty cherished making trips to visit Tara during her travel nursing days and sharing first-time vacation experiences with his grandchildren, including trips to Florida, Denver and Chicago. Many mornings began with meeting his brothers and friends for coffee at Cenex and taking his E-bike to stop at local vegetable stands on his way home. Some of Gary's favorite moments were the quiet ones he shared; morning coffee with Betty on the back porch, road trips with his brothers to fill water jugs in Rock Springs, or evenings spent listening to live jazz or blues bands at Witwin Campground or other venues. All of these moments, big and small, created the joy and memories of being with the people who mattered most to him.

Gary's infectious laugh will be greatly missed by his loving wife of 52 years, Betty (Pertzborn) Frey and daughters Tara (Rick) Skurulski and Laila (Court) Drescher, 7 grandchildren Ella Rose (fiance Tyler Mosely), Samuel, Anna Leona, and Addie Drescher and Cora, Emery, and Elise Skurulsky. He is furthered survived by his siblings Jim (Judy) Frey, Patricia (Allen) Marshall, Richard (Linda) Frey, Sharon Haas, Bill (Betty) Frey, Mike (Cindy) Frey, Terry (Jackie) Frey and sister-in-law Diane Frey and Betty's siblings Joann (LaVern) Theis, Jean Kaminiski, and Judy (Dean) Kasten and many nieces and nephews, and close friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Warner and Leona Frey, Betty's parents Robert and Florentina Pertzborn, his brother David Frey, sister-in-law Mary Pertzborn and brothers-in-law David Jenkins and Dennis Haas.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the UW Heart Failure team, whose years of dedication, expertise, and advanced care gave Gary many precious years filled with memories. We would also like to thank the many friends and family whose love, care, and presence enriched his life and ours during this time.

Per Gary's wishes, a private family service will be held at Concordia United Methodist Church in January. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the 6:8 Community Garden, 821 Industry Road, Sauk City, WI, in memory of Gary's love for gardening and the Sauk Prairie community.