Lasting Memories

David Gary Deatherage
June 3, 1941-July 6, 2024
Pleasanton, California

David Gary Deatherage passed on to eternal life on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at his home in Pleasanton, CA after a long illness. He was born on June 3, 1941, in Los Angeles, CA.

A proud husband, father and grandfather, Gary is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Susan Deatherage; son David Deatherage and granddaughter Amy; son John Deatherage, wife Rocio and grandchildren William and Sofia; and son Michael Deatherage, wife Lisa and grandsons Dylan and Evan.

Gary was raised in Oxnard, CA by Helen and Floyd Deatherage. He went to Oxnard High School where he played the trombone and was on the tennis team. He pledged Delta Tau Delta at the University of Oregon and later transferred to Southern Oregon College where he graduated. He met and married Susan Thompson in Ashland, OR.

Gary served in the US Army as an artillery officer 1964-66 later attaining the rank of Captain in the reserves. He was hired by the Army and Air Force Motion Picture Service as Chief Accountant in 1967 at the Mainz-Kastel Office in Germany. Later he transferred to Washington, D.C., and then to Dallas, TX, to work for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. His next promotion took him to the San Francisco Office and then back to Dallas serving in Career Management. Gary concluded his career in 1992 as the Tri-Border People Resources Manager in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Gary and Susan relished their retirement from Sun City Roseville to Stoneridge Creek Retirement Center. Playing golf in Incline Village, NV was definitely Gary's idea of living well. A serious gamesman, he played chess and was at the Ruby level in masterpoints Bridge. Duplicate Bridge and sudoku puzzles were Gary's favorite pastimes. He attended St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church.

A Memorial Mass is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 3rd of August, at the Chapel at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 4001 Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton.

Donations in Gary's memory can be made to Sutter Care at Home, P.O. Box 160045, Sacramento, CA, 95816 (sutterhealth.org) ; or The Catholic Community of Pleasanton, 3999 Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton, CA, 94566 (catholicsofpleasanton.org).

From Iris Puahala
July 23, 2024

Sending deepest condolences to family and friends. I am so sorry to hear this. Reading the obituary I realize that our paths were a bit similar: Army Vet; hired by AAFES in Mainz-Kastel 1963; worked in Dallas for some years and assigned as Tri-Border HRM in Hanau Germany while Gary was there and after. May he rest in peace and love.