GARY HAUG

GARY HAUG
Gary Haug, known for his kindness and quiet competence, died August 8, 2025, from complications following an esophageal rupture. He was 79.
Born in Seneca, Kansas, Gary was valedictorian of his high school class at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School and attended St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College) in Atchison, Kansas, where he met his wife, Sandra, and was again valedictorian.
After graduating in 1968 with a degree in English, Gary and Sandra married in Pensacola, Florida, just as he was beginning his military training with the U.S. Navy. He served as a radio operator in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in 1972.
His posts included the Philippines, where he and Sandra became first-time parents when their daughter was born during a monsoon, and Bellingham, Washington, a place that inspired a life-long love of the Pacific Northwest for them both.
Gary and Sandra came to New Mexico after his discharge and he earned an MBA from the University of New Mexico and began a career in state government. Dedicated to public service and the people of New Mexico, Gary's positions included working in information technology when information technology was in its infancy for what was then the Human Services Department.
Gary was the long-time director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind, serving on the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, and retired from that agency in 1999. Restless, Gary was selected after a nationwide search as director of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind. However, his love for Sandra and New Mexico and the stress of a long-distance relationship brought him home after a short tenure.
Gary continued to serve the community as a board member of St. Elizabeth's Shelter and an enthusiastic member of the La Cienega Volunteer Fire Department, where he was able to achieve his lifelong dream of driving a fire truck.
Diagnosed with type-1 diabetes in his 50s, he brought his usual work ethic and attention to detail to his care, studying the illness, carrying for himself meticulously, and sharing his knowledge readily with others interested in the disease.
Gary took up cycling in his later years and recently had launched a battle against his arch nemesis-goat heads. He always carried a small bucket and trowel on his bike rides so he could pull the plants along the bike trails, saving future cyclists from punctured tires.
Always handy in the house and yard, Gary took over Sandra's extensive and bountiful garden after her death in 2016 and enjoyed planning for the spring, watering and weeding throughout the summer, and maintaining the many hummingbird feeders that drew crowds of hummers in the evening.
He is remembered by his family, friends, and coworkers for his kindness, wise words, even temper, and hearty laugh. He is survived by his beloved children, grandchildren, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and his and Sandra's extraordinary garden.
A small memorial service for close friends and family was held at his home August 17, 2025. A larger service will follow. Those wishing to express their condolences may contact Flannery, Gary's daughter, at garyhaug@fastmail.fm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you feed some hummingbirds, pull some weeds, and consider what you're leaving for the next generation.