Obituary for Gary L Hanchett
Gary Lee Hanchett, 85, passed away Thursday, April 28, 2022, at Prestige Care of Clarkston from lung cancer. He was born to Hale and Frieda (Hulse) Hanchett on Jan. 19, 1937, in Clarkston.
Gary graduated from Asotin High School in 1955, the third generation to do so. During his high school years, Gary worked several different jobs to help the family make ends meet. With Dick Rivers Logging, he pulled and set chokers and limbed trees. Through this, he learned the steep, rugged canyons of the surrounding area to use to his advantage for hunting.
Gary was a member of the Moose Lodge, played on the Moose Lodge softball team and the town basketball team in his younger years.
Gary was never without a job; pulling phone lines in Alaska, Potlatch Corp. pulp and paper mill, Vancouver concrete plant and steel case trucking. He eventually moved back to the Asotin area, driving truck for different companies.
On one notable occasion, Gary found out the company was trying to replace him, so he wrote a note and faxed it to all managers: “I quit,” and left. Never without work, he was still doing concrete in his 70s and driving grain truck for Konen Farms.
Gary’s greatest love was hunting, packing into the canyons of the Blue Mountains, and especially muzzle-loading with friend, Herman Kuykendall, around Elk River and Swamp Creek.
Gary married Kay Gustin on Aug. 24, 1991.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Hale and Frieda Hanchett; stepfather Pete Kassel; sister Helen “Dolly” Hanchett; son David Hanchett; stepbrother Pete Kassel; grandson Travis Zwiefelhofer; and former wives Carol Sharp and Patricia Whistler.
Gary is survived by his wife, Kay Hanchett; his son Mark (Selena) Hanchett; his daughters Lory Zwiefelhofer, Kimberly (Carey) Boyarsky and Annette (Steve) Beard; his sisters Gayle (Glen) Thompson and Kathy (Jim) Peters; his brother Gordan (Tanya) Hanchett; grandchildren Ashley, Danielle, Nicole, Jason, Morgann, Chad, Lindsey, Jessica and Nate; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held for Gary at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Asotin Cemetery located on Highway 129, 2.4 miles south of Asotin on the road to Anatone. A gathering with family and friends will be held immediately after at the Asotin City Park. Light lunch and refreshments will be served. Please bring lawn chairs.
At Gary’s request, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Gary graduated from Asotin High School in 1955, the third generation to do so. During his high school years, Gary worked several different jobs to help the family make ends meet. With Dick Rivers Logging, he pulled and set chokers and limbed trees. Through this, he learned the steep, rugged canyons of the surrounding area to use to his advantage for hunting.
Gary was a member of the Moose Lodge, played on the Moose Lodge softball team and the town basketball team in his younger years.
Gary was never without a job; pulling phone lines in Alaska, Potlatch Corp. pulp and paper mill, Vancouver concrete plant and steel case trucking. He eventually moved back to the Asotin area, driving truck for different companies.
On one notable occasion, Gary found out the company was trying to replace him, so he wrote a note and faxed it to all managers: “I quit,” and left. Never without work, he was still doing concrete in his 70s and driving grain truck for Konen Farms.
Gary’s greatest love was hunting, packing into the canyons of the Blue Mountains, and especially muzzle-loading with friend, Herman Kuykendall, around Elk River and Swamp Creek.
Gary married Kay Gustin on Aug. 24, 1991.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Hale and Frieda Hanchett; stepfather Pete Kassel; sister Helen “Dolly” Hanchett; son David Hanchett; stepbrother Pete Kassel; grandson Travis Zwiefelhofer; and former wives Carol Sharp and Patricia Whistler.
Gary is survived by his wife, Kay Hanchett; his son Mark (Selena) Hanchett; his daughters Lory Zwiefelhofer, Kimberly (Carey) Boyarsky and Annette (Steve) Beard; his sisters Gayle (Glen) Thompson and Kathy (Jim) Peters; his brother Gordan (Tanya) Hanchett; grandchildren Ashley, Danielle, Nicole, Jason, Morgann, Chad, Lindsey, Jessica and Nate; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held for Gary at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Asotin Cemetery located on Highway 129, 2.4 miles south of Asotin on the road to Anatone. A gathering with family and friends will be held immediately after at the Asotin City Park. Light lunch and refreshments will be served. Please bring lawn chairs.
At Gary’s request, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.