Gary Lee Smith
October 4, 1942 - October 15, 2014

Gary Lee Smith passed away after battling numerous ailments for the past 5 years. He was born in San Francisco, California on October 4th, 1942, the eldest son of George H. Smith and Vivian C. (Buck) Smith. He spent his earliest years around Hollister and along Rush Creek in the Trinity Alps before his family settled in Concord, where he first attended Mt. Diablo High School prior to becoming a member of the first graduating class of Clayton Valley High School in 1960. He was a longtime resident of Clayton, where he raised his family at the foot of Mt. Diablo.



He grew up working in his fathers automotive jobber businesses in the East Bay, and ultimately followed in his fathers footsteps by owning and operating Car Parts Concord and Four Corners Auto Parts with his brother Don. Along with other family members, loyal employees and friends, they grew the business into a successful chain of retail and wholesale auto parts stores in the East Bay for the next 25 years. He was always actively involved in the industry and had served as the President of the California Automotive Wholesalers Association. He was instrumental and active in the continued support of many independent automotive repair businesses in the East Bay area.



He was an ardent fan of the San Francisco 49ers and most sports, coaching competitive youth soccer teams and following both the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland As over the years. Travel was always very important to him and he did as much as he could with his family throughout the years. Prior to having health concerns that kept him from his passion for flying, he enjoyed taking his single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V-tail airplane from its hangar at Buchanan Air Field to destinations throughout the West Coast and Mexico. Upon retirement, he left California behind and spent a dozen years with his wife in their RV roaming the country, with central Iowa as their home base in order to be near their grandchildren.



A humble servant of the Lord, Gary leaves behind the love of his life his high school sweetheart and loving wife of over 52 years, Linda; his sons Clinton (and Shelle), Aaron, and Brian (and Jennifer); his grandchildren Grace, Nathan, Lillian, Faith, Jeremiah, William and Vanessa; his sister Darlene Holstien (and Jim); and his brother Don. Preceding him in death are his parents, his youngest brother James, and his sister-in-law Kathy. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that a donation be made in his memory, either to the Southern California Seahorses of Missionary Athletes International or to a charity of your choice.

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