Gary Glenn Kocher was born in Omak, Washington to Harvey Harold Kocher and Ena Mae Yoder Kocher on April 2, 1950. A second child, Ron, was born two years later. The family moved to Wenatchee, Washington several years after that and a sister, Barbara, was born before they moved to the Seattle area.

Gary's mom moved to Seattle to enroll her children at King's Elementary feeling she wanted help in raising three children as a single parent.

When Gary was 15, he got a part-time job after school at King's Press where he learned the art of printing.

In 1968, when Gary graduated from King's High School, he got a job with Impression Printing in downtown Seattle.

In 1970, he moved to eastern Washington where he went to work on a cattle ranch for room and board and hired on at a wheat ranch for spending money. He later became a short order cook for Odesa Drive-In. That winter when the ranches cut back, he got a small apartment and was hired at U & I Sugar Company in Moses Lake, WA. After the sugar beet harvest ended in May and the Sugar Company laid off the production workers, Gary left to serve as a counselor for 7 different Christian camps over the summer. Gary had grown up going to a Christian family camp every summer as part of his family's vacation, so it seemed only natural for him to want to give back as a young adult.

In the fall Gary went to work for Mukilteo School District in their publication department and drove school bus for King's Schools.

In 1974 Gary was hired full-time at Warm Beach Camp. He oversaw the youth camping program and printing operations for the camp and their customers.

In 1977 Gary became the youth director for Centralia Free Methodist Church and drove school bus for the Chehalis School District.

In 1979 Gary moved back to Warm Beach and became youth director for Warm Beach Free Methodist Church and drove school bus for Stanwood School District. In the summer Gary continued to volunteer as a camp counselor.

That same year, Gary also joined the Warm Beach Volunteer Fire Department. He served for nine years, retiring with the rank of Captain.

In 1984, Gary again went to work for Warm Beach and was put in charge of the computer system and worked in development.

At the time the camp computers were using WANG hardware and software. When the WANG company went under and reorganized in a different direction there were a lot of companies left with systems that weren't worth anything because they were no longer supported.

Gary contacted a representative from both WANG hardware and software companies who gave him contact information for their clients in the Pacific Northwest. Gary sent a letter to each of these companies telling them that if they donated their worthless hardware and software to Warm Beach Camp, they could get a charitable tax deduction. This led Gary traveling to pick up old equipment which Gary used to keep the camp up and running with parts for their WANG system for over 15 years.

For the camp, Gary wrote fund-raising letters, articles for the Sounder, oversaw the Auction for many years as well as being the voice for the Lights of Christmas in the program center.

When Covid hit in 2020, camping, like most businesses, had to shut down. Because of Gary's age and some health issues, he was considered highly "at risk" for Covid so Gary retired. This was a difficult transition for Gary having worked so long and with so many people who were like family.

In October of 2023 Gary was very weak and after calling 911, he was evaluated and transported to Providence Hospital in Everett. What Gary thought would be a short stay ended up needing additional rehab care.

Gary's brother Ron flew out near the end of January. He and their sister Barb began looking for an assisted living facility where Gary could continue to receive care but have some independence. Unfortunately, another hospital stay ended with Gary being too weak for the assisted living facility. Ron and Barb then found an Adult Family Home in Marysville where he could get more hands-on care.

After 7 ½ years of being on dialysis, Gary's physical body continued to slowly fail. After much prayer and discussions with trusted friends and medical personnel, Gary chose to move back to his home and begin hospice where he passed, peacefully in his sleep Friday morning, January 31, 2025.

Gary treasured family, co-workers, dear friends and of course, his faith in Jesus Christ.

We will miss you Gary and we are so glad you were a part of our lives.