During the weekend that just ended family and friends went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to celebrate the life of Gary Wayne Blare, Class of 1962, husband of Patti Williams Blare, Class of 1965, who passed away Oct. 20. Gary and Patti lived and laughed in Myrtle Beach.

And did Gary know how to celebrate life! This photo montage shows his whimsy and humor in a delightful way.

Mareia Wilmoth McDougal, Class of 1964, married to her Homecoming princess chaffeur Earl McDougal, Class of 1963 (they have a blended family of seven children), was there for Patti and family for the celebration of Gary’s life.

She wrote:

“WE WENT TO MYRTLE BEACH THIS WEEKEND TO HELP PATTI AND THE GIRLS CELEBRATE GARY’S LIFE. IT WAS A GREAT TRIP. TONS OF PEOPLE STOPPED BY ALL DAY FOR LUNCH AND CHAT AND MANY WONDERFUL STORIES. HIS LIFE WAS CELEBRATED BY LOTS OF TEACHERS AND FRIENDS FROM THE SCHOOL WHERE HE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS AND HIS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. HIS NEPHEW (LOOK A LIKE ) RODNEY BLARE DROVE DOWN FROM MARYLAND AND MADE US ALL FEEL GREAT BECAUSE HE LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE HIM. WE LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH PATTI AND DANI AND DAWN AND THE GRANDCHILDREN. HE WILL BE SADLY MISSED BY ALL OF US.”

Mareia was only at Monongah High one year, her graduation year, after three years at Shinnston High School.

 

Earl was at Monongah High all four years. He is a former coal miner who eventually retired from Borg-Warner.

 

Mareia is a free-lance photographer and was a florist for 45 years as a Wal-Mart department manager. Earl and Mareia have lived in Hendersonville, North Carolina for more than 30 years.

 

Earl’s brother, Johnny McDougal, also graduated from Monongah High. So did Mareia’s sister, Sherry Wilmouth Vance, and her husband.

 

And Earl’s siblings, Edna McDougal Saunders, Class of 1948; Helen McDougal Mudry, Class of 1965; James McDougal, Class of 1961; and Reva McDougal Ash, Class of 1950.

There’s a shorter, previous article about Gary’s passing farther down in this Monongah High Alumni blog. You can scroll down or type

Gary Blare

In the upper left corner of this page between the “B” and the drawing of a magnifying glass, then hit Enter, and every article with Gary’s name in it will show up. That will work for any other Monongah High alumni you want to check out, too.

If you want to send Patti a sympathy card, her address is:

 

Patti Blare

2705 Capricorn Drive

Myrtle Beach, SC 29575

 

Gary’s obituary:

Gary Wayne Blare (Myrtle Beach)

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Gary Wayne Blare, 70, died Oct. 20 at Vibra Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.

Born in Fairmont, W.Va., Gary was a son of the late Carlton and Helen Howe McDonald Blare.

Gary enjoyed working with computers, bird watching and fishing.

He was also an avid reader and NASCAR enthusiast who always rooted for Jeff Gordon.

Survivors include wife Patti Blare of Myrtle Beach; daughters Dawn Blare Richardson of Myrtle Beach and Danielle Asher and husband Jeff of Wilmington, N.C.; grandchildren Jessica, Zachary, Coty, Abigail, Miranda, Samantha, Owen and Logan; sister-in-law Carolyn Davis; nephews Rodney and Randy Blare and nieces Robin Dodson and Christy Kelley.

Services were private,

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231.

Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.