Gary Don Wilkes passed peacefully on December 3rd surrounded by his loving family at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. Gary was 77 years old.

Gary was born at his family home in Crocker, Missouri, on November 8, 1947. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dillard John and Lona Elsie Wilkes, his three brothers, Wayne Wilkes, Homer Wilkes, and Snowden Wilkes, and his seven sisters, Florene Routh, Sharon Kay Kloeppel, Evelyn Wilkes, Bonnie Wilkes, Barbara Wilkes, Jacqueline Wilkes, and Betty Jo Street.

Gary is survived by his loving wife, Dolores Wilkes, and his large, blended family. This includes his daughters from his first marriage: Heather Dedrick and her husband Randy, son Braden, and daughter Mckenna and Tara Beason and her husband Doug, son Austen (and Rose), and daughter Emma. He is also survived by his children through marriage: Shannon McMurtrey and his wife Gina, and their sons Caleb (and Quinn), and Cameron, and Julie Austin and her husband Greg, and their son Elijah and daughter Grace. Additionally, Gary and Dolores shared a son, Joe Don Wilkes and his wife Manda, and their children Sean, Joey, Jack, and Macie.

Gary was a dedicated worker throughout his life, spending many years operating heavy machinery eventually retiring from Pulaski County Road & Bridge. However, Gary's greatest love was his family. Known for his warm smile, tall tales, and teasing jokes, he brought joy and laughter to all who knew him. One of these tall tales—shared with a mischievous twinkle in his eye—was that he single-handedly transformed the Sahara Forest into the Sahara Desert with his trusty chainsaw. This story was once proudly shared by one of his children with her entire first-grade class, only to be met with unexpected skepticism. Gary's sense of humor and love for storytelling will be fondly remembered, along with his countless nicknames and unforgettable "Gary-isms."

The family invites you to join them in celebrating the life of Gary at the Crocker Baptist Church, December 7th. Visitation will be from 10am to 12pm with a service at 12pm. Internment at the Crocker Cemetery will occur at a later date.

Gary's family extends their heartfelt love and gratitude to everyone who has offered prayers, reached out, or contributed in any way to making Gary's life such a rich and beautiful journey. The family is especially thankful for the care team at Mercy, whose exceptional skill and kindness during his final days will always be remembered.

In the poetry of nature, if you examine the cross section of a tree, you will notice a central core, darker than the sapwood surrounding it. This core, called heartwood, no longer takes part in the tree's life process. Though it no longer functions as part of the living system, heartwood retains its strength, providing essential support to the outer, living rings of growth. In the perfect ecology of nature, what has ceased to grow becomes the heart of what thrives, while the living continues to sustain the enduring essence of what came before.

Dad has become our heartwood.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to American Cancer Society or Hurricane Relief through Samaritan's Purse.