Gary HARMS

October 24, 1935 - July 4, 2025

Spokane - Gary Lee Harms of Spokane, Washington, passed away on July 4, 2025. Born on October 24, 1935, to Carl and Opal Harms, he began a life filled with curiosity, craftsmanship, and an unstoppable drive to keep moving forward.

He attended Logan and Longfellow Elementary Schools before graduating from Rogers High School at age 17 in 1953. That same year, he entered a 1929 Ford Roadster - purchased with a lifelong friend - into a local car show and won "Best Roadster," marking the beginning of his deep involvement in hot rodding and custom cars.

After a brief time at Wenatchee Valley Junior College, and a stint working in electronics in California, he returned to Spokane to attend Eastern Washington College of Education. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in Industrial Arts and was later inducted into Epsilon Pi Tau, the International Honor Society for Industrial and Vocational Education. He returned to Eastern Washington College in 1965 earning a Master of Education degree.

Gary taught Industrial Arts in Spokane Public Schools for 30 years, with positions at Irving Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Havermale Junior High, and Rogers High School. Former students often stopped him in later years to say how much his classes meant to them - many still holding on to the projects they built under his guidance.

In 1960, he married Kay Vaughan after a blind date arranged by a college friend. They raised two children, Carrie and Christopher, while restoring their family home and pursuing new interests together - most notably sailing. The two spent many years racing sailboats on Lake Coeur d'Alene and were active members of the Spokane Sailing Club, where Gary served as Commodore in 1981.

Despite his love for sailing, cars remained a lifelong passion. Gary built and restored several hot rods, earning many awards and features in magazines and books. He raced multiple times at the Bonneville Salt Flats, reaching speeds over 200 mph, and in his youth was the first driver documented to win a drag race using nitrous oxide. In 2022, he was inducted into the Washington State Hot Rod Hall of Fame for his many achievements and contributions to the sport.

Gary was a master of all trades: an expert craftsman, a gifted woodworker, an artist, a record-setting racer, and a sailor with a competitive spirit. He had an incredible memory, a sharp mind, and an eye for design that touched everything he built. There aren't enough words to capture how important he was to his family, or how deeply proud his loved ones are to have known someone so endlessly knowledgeable, capable and willing to solve any problem, and one who could handout a big laugh with his quick wit. His legacy lives on in the things he created and the lives he impacted - he was an extraordinary man and will be abundantly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Opal Harms; his brother, Stanley Harms; sister-in-law, Thelma (Oien) Harms; and sister, Julie (Harms) Schelling.

He is survived by his wife, Kay Harms; daughter, Carrie Little (Jim); Chris Harms (Susan); grandchildren, Alicia Stenger (Spencer), Danielle Harms (Kristina), and Joshua Harms.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, charitable donations in his honor/behalf can be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Spokane.