Gary Lee Givens, 69, succumbed to cancer on March 17, 2007.

He was born in Chillicothe, Mo., and lived in Missouri and Texas until he graduated from high school in 1955. From 1956 to 1960, he served in the Navy as an electrician and an ECM operator in a P2V squadron.

He was stationed on Whidbey Island where he met and later married his wife of 47 years, Pat Marvick.

He owned and operated several businesses in Oak Harbor including Westgate Mobile Homes and Century 21 Real Estate, and was active in several real estate development projects.

He was a licensed pilot and he enjoyed flying his plane, and operating a number of motor and sailboats over the years. He enjoyed many sports including windsurfing, team roping, scuba diving, golf and tennis.

He returned to Texas and eventually divided his time between a home in Texas and Arkansas. In Arkansas, he became involved with music and played the Dobro guitar.

He was preceded in death by his son Mike in 2005. He is survived by his wife Pat, of Port Isabel, Texas and Mountain View, Ark., and his daughter Kelly Brentas, of Scottsdale, Az.