Gary Michael Avey

Gary Michael Avey, 65, joined the "Big Guy" on Dec. 20, 2005 after a short but valiant fight with lung cancer. Gary is best remembered as the former Editor of AZ Highways Magazine and the present Owner/ Publisher of Native Peoples Magazine. His father and mother, George (first art director of AZ Highways) and Edith Barbara Avey, artist, his sister Linda Avey, artist, and his grandmother Rose H. Avey (in 1920 she started the Fine Arts Department in the Mesa schools) preceded him in death. Gary was privileged to live a life of associations and friendships of good purpose. He served in the Army's Second Armored Cavalry from 1964 to 1967 where he commanded tank and recon platoons on the East German border, leaving with the permanent rank of Captain. He was a hands-on Rotarian for over 30 years.  He served on the Boards of Directors of the DeGrazia Arts and Cultural Foundation in Tucson for 14 years with 8 years as VP and 2 years as it's President, the St. Lukes Foundation for 15 years, COBA (the Consortium of Black Artists) for 6 years and the Phoenix Indian School Center for 9 years. With art and service always at his core he served for 8 years on the Phx. Arts Commission and 2 years on the AZ Commission on the Arts and was presently serving on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Arts and Culture Committee for MPAC, the Flinn Foundation and the Piper Charitable Trust funded Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture. He was a member of NAJA (Native American Journalists Assn.), the Phx Art Museum and the Directors Circle of the Heard Museum where he also served as it's Deputy Director from 1984 to 1987. As a young father he coached for 4 years for the Madison Meadows Little League and 3 years for the YMCA's Indian Guides. But the most meaningful has been his 25 years of participation in AA where he found his spiritual commitment. He is survived by his wife, Allene Pierce-Avey; his children Mark (wife Kelly) and Marci (husband Steve Hill); his grandsons Alec and Evan Avey of Phoenix and granddaughters Amber (Hill) Dercks and husband Chris and Ryen Hill all of Tucson, and SrA Mandy (Hill) Bitson and husband SSGT Michael of Buckley AFB Denver, CO. The public is invited to attend a military graveside internment at 10:00 AM on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St. in Mesa. A Memorial Service will follow at the Heard Museum Steele Auditorium, 2301 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix at 3:00 PM. There will be light refreshments served after the honoring. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 2:00 PM at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 2222 S. Price Rd., Tempe.  Father Ron Poston and Father Carl Carlozzi (formerly with All Saints Episcopal) will be officiating. Friends are invited. Donations may be made to the Heard Museum in care of the Gary Avey Foundation for Native Youth Education in the Arts, 2301 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ, 85004.