Obituary for Gary T. Hemly
Gary T. Hemly, 79, of Painted Post, NY, passed away on April 24, 2023 following a short illness, with members of his family by his side in Lakeland, Florida.
Calling hours will be held Wednesday, May 3, 2023 from 12-2pm followed by a funeral service at Phillips Funeral Home, and a graveside interment at Fairview Cemetery in Painted Post. Gary was born June 11, 1943, in Corning, NY to Watson Hemly and Selma “Sally” Anderson Hemly. He was a 1963 graduate of Painted Post High School, where he played football. Gary retired from Dresser Rand after working there for 42 years as a Millwright and Welder. He was part of the infamous West High Street gang as a kid. They terrorized local residents with innocent pranks and were known to leave their homes from dawn to dusk, finding fun and mischief along the way.
He is survived by his wife, Anne with an “E”, the love of his life, whom he married on May 15, 1965. They planned to renew their wedding vows in May, on their anniversary. Gary is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Michael) Edger and their daughters, Hannah and Jordan; son Barry (Jennifer) Hemly and their children, Madelaine and Garrett. He is also survived by his big brother Al Hemly, sister-in-law Rhea (Dick) Smith, brother-in-law Edward (Candy) Clark, sister-in-law Linda (Richard) Lewis, brother-in-law William (Dorothy) Clark, and several nieces and nephews. Gary loved his granddogs too, especially his best friend, Finley. Gary was preceded in death by his parents.
Gary was known for his excellent work ethic, which he instilled in his children. He worked long hours, frequently taking overtime and snow removal shifts so his family could enjoy a vacation each summer at Keuka Lake. On the weekends, Gary, Anne and the kids would cut, load and stack firewood for the wood stove. One of his favorite sayings was “the family that gets wood together, stays together”, much to the delight of his children. Gary was passionate about girls’ softball and spent many years coaching his daughter in the Erwin Valley Painted Post (EVPP) softball league. He was a member of the board and helped build the facility and maintain the grounds year after year. He was a tough coach who cared deeply about teamwork and hustle and wanted every player to do their best. He loved watching his kids and grandkids participate in sports, especially his son playing football and lacrosse. Home or away it didn’t matter, he was at every game. He loved his country home on Dry Run Road, being in the woods calling turkeys and running the hills on deer drives. November was his favorite month. Later in life he found a passion for trap shooting. He participated in many shoots across NY, PA and FL and enjoyed the camaraderie of the people he met along the way. He won several medals in the Polk County Senior Games, in Lakeland, Florida, where he resided with his wife during the winter months. He will be remembered by family and friends as a “Stubborn Swede”, who always looked forward to the Hemly family tradition of Swedie Apples, a favorite dish. Another beloved food was his sister-in-law Linda’s homemade lemon merengue pie. One of his favorite activities was to play cards, especially poker and euchre. Above all else, Gary loved his family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital.
Calling hours will be held Wednesday, May 3, 2023 from 12-2pm followed by a funeral service at Phillips Funeral Home, and a graveside interment at Fairview Cemetery in Painted Post. Gary was born June 11, 1943, in Corning, NY to Watson Hemly and Selma “Sally” Anderson Hemly. He was a 1963 graduate of Painted Post High School, where he played football. Gary retired from Dresser Rand after working there for 42 years as a Millwright and Welder. He was part of the infamous West High Street gang as a kid. They terrorized local residents with innocent pranks and were known to leave their homes from dawn to dusk, finding fun and mischief along the way.
He is survived by his wife, Anne with an “E”, the love of his life, whom he married on May 15, 1965. They planned to renew their wedding vows in May, on their anniversary. Gary is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Michael) Edger and their daughters, Hannah and Jordan; son Barry (Jennifer) Hemly and their children, Madelaine and Garrett. He is also survived by his big brother Al Hemly, sister-in-law Rhea (Dick) Smith, brother-in-law Edward (Candy) Clark, sister-in-law Linda (Richard) Lewis, brother-in-law William (Dorothy) Clark, and several nieces and nephews. Gary loved his granddogs too, especially his best friend, Finley. Gary was preceded in death by his parents.
Gary was known for his excellent work ethic, which he instilled in his children. He worked long hours, frequently taking overtime and snow removal shifts so his family could enjoy a vacation each summer at Keuka Lake. On the weekends, Gary, Anne and the kids would cut, load and stack firewood for the wood stove. One of his favorite sayings was “the family that gets wood together, stays together”, much to the delight of his children. Gary was passionate about girls’ softball and spent many years coaching his daughter in the Erwin Valley Painted Post (EVPP) softball league. He was a member of the board and helped build the facility and maintain the grounds year after year. He was a tough coach who cared deeply about teamwork and hustle and wanted every player to do their best. He loved watching his kids and grandkids participate in sports, especially his son playing football and lacrosse. Home or away it didn’t matter, he was at every game. He loved his country home on Dry Run Road, being in the woods calling turkeys and running the hills on deer drives. November was his favorite month. Later in life he found a passion for trap shooting. He participated in many shoots across NY, PA and FL and enjoyed the camaraderie of the people he met along the way. He won several medals in the Polk County Senior Games, in Lakeland, Florida, where he resided with his wife during the winter months. He will be remembered by family and friends as a “Stubborn Swede”, who always looked forward to the Hemly family tradition of Swedie Apples, a favorite dish. Another beloved food was his sister-in-law Linda’s homemade lemon merengue pie. One of his favorite activities was to play cards, especially poker and euchre. Above all else, Gary loved his family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital.