Gary McMahan, 56, of Creswell, passed away on Aug. 23 after a short battle with brain cancer. He was born on July 22, 1965 to Jack McMahan and Beverly Vernon in Grants Pass, Ore. He graduated from Creswell High School in 1984, and later graduated from Lane County Region Police Reserve Academy in 2006.
Upon moving to Creswell in 1982, he met Connie Grousbeck, and they married in 1985, going on to have two children, Daniel and Doug.
When he turned 18, Gary joined the Creswell Volunteer Fire Department where he served for 25 years and retired as a Captain. During this time, he also volunteered for many years with the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division, as well as many years as a Lane County Sheriff Reserve Officer.
Gary worked at several lumber mills in the 1980s, then worked at Wright Machine Tool as a painter, before going to work for Sony Disc Manufacturing. During this time, he supplemented his income doing loss prevention and bodyguard work for the Eugene Pro Rodeo. He moved on to work for the State of Oregon both for the Department of Forestry as a wildland firefighter and for the Department of Transportation on the maintenance crew, as a heavy equipment trainer, and then as an Incident Responder.
His favorite activities included racing motorcycles before his children were born, camping, riding motorcycles and riding ATVs on the Oregon coast. The last several years he enjoyed his love of travel and cruising with his wife and friends.
Gary is predeceased in death by his father. He is survived by his wife Connie; mother Beverly; sisters Shari, Twila Sue, Destiny, Shallimar; brothers Doug, Lester; children Daniel (Kaitlyn), Doug (Kylee); grandchildren Carson, Caleb, Charly, Kenzie and Keagan; and a host of other step and extended family members.
A celebration of life was held at Emerald Valley Events Center in Creswell on Sept. 7.
Arrangements entrusted to Musgrove Family Mortuary. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com.
