Gary Glenn Berner

Gary Glenn Berner, 87, of Cos Cob, CT, died Sunday, March 1, 2026. Born on August 27, 1938, in Toronto, Ontario, Gary was the son of Godfrey and Adelaide (Corson) Berner, and the brother of RoseMarie Smith. He was the beloved husband of the late Deborah Dole (Weigand) Berner, who preceded him in death in 2022. A natural entrepreneur and a 'born salesman', Gary's career and character were marked by an infectious enthusiasm for people and sports. As a youngster in Etobicoke, his paper route became the largest in Toronto and earned him several awards. In college, he found similar success as a door-to-door salesman for Purity Flour, traveling across Quebec with the pitch, "Veux-tu bien acheter mon sac de pureté?" His true passion, however, was ice hockey-a game he mastered on Toronto's frozen ponds and community rinks. Despite being smaller than his peers, Gary's blistering speed and 'scrappy' play made him a force on the ice. With his shock of red hair and freckled determination, he stood out as the natural choice for captain of Dryden Hardware Supply. The youth team was coached by the father of future NHL goaltenders Ken and Dave Dryden; Dave was Gary's close friend and teammate, while a young Ken served as the team's stickboy. After attending Toronto Collegiate and playing for junior teams in the Chicago Blackhawks' farm system, Gary's hard work earned him an offer to play minor-league hockey in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After settling in Indiana, Gary enrolled at Taylor University. While his professional hockey career was brief, his connection to the state lasted several years; he graduated from Taylor in 1962 and later earned his MBA from Indiana University in 1964. By 1965, Gary had moved to New York City to begin a career at Grey Advertising, which included a year of further study at Columbia University. It was a casual night out with roommates at an Upper West Side bar that led Gary to Debbie. Bound by their shared time at Columbia-where Debbie was studying at Teachers College-the two were wed in 1965 in Bayside. Their first few years of marriage were a whirlwind: they welcomed Randy in 1966, moved to Greenwich in 1967, and completed their family with Greg's arrival in 1968. After 20 years of the Manhattan corporate commute, Gary decided he needed a change. He possessed an uncanny ability to talk his way into any NHL or MLB arena simply by dressing the part of an executive and dropping the right names. But his real genius lay in his connection to the people; he made it a point to know every usher, concession worker, and locker room attendant in the building. Realizing he could harness this unique blend of 'gate-crashing' confidence and sales talent, Gary launched International Sports to become North America's premier sports novelty middleman. He single-handedly bridged the gap between souvenir manufacturers and stadium vendors, securing licensed contracts for everything from pucks and dolls to foam hats. He built his empire with passion, creativity, and his trademark suitcase full of samples-an infectious enthusiasm that, along with his tireless road trips, made him a legend among his clients. Throughout these busy years, Gary remained a devoted father and grandfather. He was a pillar of the Greenwich sports community, founding and leading multiple booster clubs during his sons' high school and college years-including the Greenwich High School booster club, which remains active to this day. Gary and Debbie shared a love for the open road, frequently driving to Florida and Canada to visit friends and family. They never traveled without their bicycles, enjoying long rides together along the waterfront. Gary is survived by his son Randy and wife Stephanie, with children Abigail and Charlotte; and his son Greg and wife Heather, with children Teddy and Toby.

A celebration of Gary's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at First Congregational Church (108 Sound Beach Ave., Old Greenwich). In honor of his passion, the family invites attendees to wear their favorite team jersey or hockey sweater.