Lt. Col. Gary R. Chase, USAF Retired, went home to the Lord Friday September 29, 2023 at the age of 83. Gary was born in the small town of Medix Run, Pennsylvania. He met the USAF recruiter on a whim, going with a buddy of his. This whim led to a life-long career in the military which enabled him to travel the country and the world, and get his college degree. Gary served in the Air Force over 25 years, first as a radar navigator in B-52s and then in FB-111s, stationed primarily at Plattsburgh Air Force Base in New York and retiring at Carswell Air Force Base in Ft. Worth, Texas. He served 3 tours in Vietnam and then transitioned to radar navigator instruction during the later years of his service. Gary received many decorations during his military career and even refused some. He was doing his duty and did not need the recognition.
While being stationed in Amarillo, Gary met his wife Carolyn, his first wife as he jokingly referred to her. Gary loved boating, fishing, target shooting, and most things related to Macintosh computers. Being stationed in Plattsburgh, right off Lake Champlain, Gary was able to enjoy boating and fishing for many years. He also bought one of the first Macintosh computers available, upgrading to the newest one each time a new version came out. Gary was not retired from the Air Force very long before he got recruited by some of his military buddies to work at Northrop Grumman in Pico Rivera, California. While living in California, Gary enjoyed going out to Horse Canyon on the weekends to target shoot. Gary and Carolyn bought an RV and traveled up and down the West Coast, enjoying nature wherever they stopped for the night. After retiring from Northrop, they moved back home to Texas, where he and Carloyn continued their RV adventures around the Texas lakes. They eventually bought a small house by Lake Hawkins which meant a Seadoo Jetboat was in their future. Many weekends and holidays were enjoyed boating and fishing on Lake Hawkins.
Gary is survived by his wife Carolyn, daughter and son-in-law Nicole and Gary Lindholm, grandson's Korbin Chase and Christian Lindholm, sister-in-law Sherry Davis, niece Kristy Parker, and nephew James Gammill in Texas. Gary is also survived by his cousin Allen Leigey, nieces Debbie Hucke, Diana Friberg, and nephew David Roeshot in Pennsylvania. Gary was preceded in death by his parents Geneva and Merlyn Chase, his sister Rita Roeshot, his daughter Kim Chase, and his cousin Arnold Leigey.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org
- Donate in Gary's name.
Gary will be laid to rest at the DFW National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas, Wednesday October 11 at 11:30am.
Gary was a fun loving and good man and the world is a little less bright without him in it.