Gary A. French

Gary passed away unexpectedly at home in Sandwich, MA on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at the age of 65. Born in Burbank, CA, the son of Henry Sidney "Sid" French and Ada Chapin French, Gary spent many years in San Jose and later Sebastopol, CA, before relocating to the east coast. He was a graduate of San Jose State University and earned his MBA at Pepperdine University. Gary had previously worked in sales for IBM, but had recently made a career change and at the time of his death was employed at Plymouth Crossings, a senior care facility in Plymouth, MA as Director of Community Relations. During his 21 years in Sebastopol, Gary was actively involved with Kiwanis Club of Sebastopol, was a member of Leadership Santa Rosa Class XII, and was named Kiwanian of the Year and Sebastopol Humanitarian of the Year. Gary was also a former President and member of the Board of Directors of the Polly Klaas Foundation, and is one of three men credited with revolutionizing the way missing person information and photographs are shared, by digitizing them and then disseminating them electronically. Gary was a gourmet cook and a lively host who loved providing family and friends with a good meal. He was also an enthusiastic and successful gardener who, with his wife Paula, had planted the entire properties they shared in Sebastopol and Sandwich. Gary is survived by his wife of 11 years, Paula French, and his children, Jeremy French of Forestville, CA, and Stephanie Summerton-French of Santa Rosa, CA, and two of his beloved aunts, Zaye Chapin and Irma Davis, both of Tuscon, AZ. A celebration of Gary's life will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, October 24. For details, and to share stories about Gary, please contact stephaniesfrench@gmail.com . His ashes will be scattered on both coasts at later dates.