Gary Lee Grimsley

1944 - 2024

Gary Lee Grimsley, 80, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., and formerly of El Dorado Springs, Mo., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.
He was born on May 28, 1944, in El Dorado Springs, the son of the late Orville and Goldie (Garver) Grimsley.
Gary graduated from El Dorado Springs High School in 1962. He married Tracy Carpenter on Dec. 3, 1966, in El Dorado Springs. He had a long and successful career with the federal government, which began when he joined the United States Air Force in 1962. He began his FAA career in 1979 in Iowa before moving with his family to Miami, Fla., in 1985. He joined the Caribbean SFO as an Engineering Technician traveling throughout the islands. In 1988, he went to Wichita, Kan., and in 1991 returned to Florida to work at the Jacksonville Airport. He retired in 2005 as an Airways Transportation Systems Specialist in the environmental unit of the Jacksonville SSC.
Gary loved cars, motorcycles and airplanes. He earned his A&P and private pilots licenses, and he has enjoyed many hours flying his single engine Cessna and volunteering in both the EAA and CAP in Fernandina Beach. He also volunteered for many years at Sun 'N' Fun in Lakeland, Fla.
He loved traveling with Tracy, and some of their favorite trips were those made to Alaska, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Iceland, New Zealand and France.
In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his sister, Donna (Grimsley) Childress.
Gary is survived by his wife of 57 years, Tracy Grimsley; daughter Gina (Grimsley) Brewer and her husband, Darell, of Rose Hill, Kan.; daughter Debbie (Grimsley) Lelekis and her husband, Angelo, of Laredo, Texas; and sister, Pat (Grimsley) Baker of San Angelo, Texas.
He is also survived by three grandchildren, Darell Lee Brewer III and his wife, Judi, of Rose Hill, Kan.; Maia Lelekis of Laredo, Texas; and Lorenzo Lelekis of Laredo, Texas.
Family will gather for a military funeral honors ceremony to celebrate Gary's life. He was loved very much and will be missed by his family and friends.