Gary Leonard Onstot

It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Gary Onstot, a lifelong resident of Norwalk, passed away on April 6th, 2023, at the age of 68.
Gary was born in Des Moines to Mildred and Leonard Onstot and was the youngest, and only son of four children. As a child, he and his sisters shared many adventures on their small family farm. Gary went to school in Norwalk, but most days he would have rather skipped school. And so just barely into high school, he did just that! With his ornery charm, Gary lived life on his terms and with a mindset that rules and instructions were mere guidelines. Gary learned his lessons through hard work and never gave up. At just 15 he had his own place and worked tirelessly as a painter. At 20, he established Onstot Painting which he successfully ran for nearly 40 years until his health declined.
After marrying Darcy, he raised Jason and Jill to share in his wild country boy adventures and taught them the discipline that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Gary enjoyed riding motorcycles, crashing cars in the demolition derby, hunting, and catching the biggest fish. He was always the lucky one who could spot the wildlife, but with his signature grin, it was hard to tell what version was true. His friends were lifelong buddies and his garage was always the gathering place day or night.
In 1993, Gary married Robin and they were married for nearly 30 years until her recent passing. Gary and Robin often reminisced about their teenage years and their travels to Mexico with friends. Their home was kept beautifully inside and out, and they enjoyed being in the country where Gary's antics could be as wild as his spirit. He enjoyed restoring cars with Chad and Jason. Gary often shared that he was thankful for traveling and experiencing life when they were younger and in good health. He lived in the moment without regrets.
He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He is survived by his sisters Kay Hail, Patti Hampshire (Terry), Vicki Brandow (Rick), his son Jason (Janelle) Onstot, Jill Skinner, and Chad (Jessie) Leeper, and his grandchildren Jaxon and Jocelyn Onstot, Izabella and Landon Skinner, Lucy and Logan Leeper. He is preceded in death by his mother and father Mildred and Leonard Onstot, his brother-in-law Cecil Hail, and his wife Robin Onstot.
A service to celebrate Gary's life will be held Sunday, May 7th at 2pm at Iles Norwalk Chapel.
Gary's constant companion was his dog Sadie, who was by his side until his final moments. In his memory, if you wish, donations may be made to Kiya Koda Humane Society of Indianola. Alternatively, please consider giving your dog an extra treat (or five) in his honor.
In the words of a song he frequently sang:
East Bound and Down, Loaded Up and Truckin'
We Gonna Do What They Say Can't Be Done
We've Got a Long Way To Go, And a Short Time To Get There
I'm East Bound, Just Watch Ol' "Bandit" Run
To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Gary Onstot, please visit our Tribute Store.