Gary L. Uhlir

Carbondale- Gary L. Uhlir, 77, of Carbondale, passed away peacefully at 4:40 p.m., Saturday, December 31, 2016 with his wife and daughter by his side.



He was born February 27, 1939 in Chicago to Howard C. and Dorothy (Rowan) Uhlir.



Gary served his country in the US Marine Corps and attended SIU-Carbondale. He had owned a restaurant, Gary’s Place in Nashville, IL. He became a hydraulic equipment repairman for 18 years at the Monterey Coal Company and retired in 1989.



Gary had a large variety of interests in his lifetime, including camping, canoeing, hiking, making stained glass, bread baking, parachute jumping, bee keeping, photography, seeking out all Illinois wild orchids, racing his Austin-Healey, Harley Davidsons, and trying to perfect turkey gravy.



He attended the First Presbyterian Church, Carbondale, with wife, Phyllis Beck and was a member of the Audubon Society, Shawnee Group of the Sierra Club and the Southern Illinois Native Plant Society.



He married Phyllis Beck on January 25, 2003 in Carbondale; she survives. Other survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Laura (Richard) Schupp of Gordonsville, VA, Cindy Austreng and her fiance, Troy of Burnsville, MN, and Gail (Travis) Meggs of Providence Village, TX; four grandchildren, Amanda, Christopher, Savannah, and Jonah; one brother, Wayne Uhlir of Mesa AZ; and a sister, Kathie Dulski, of Waco, TX.



A memorial service will be announced at a later date.



Memorials to the Shawnee Group of the Sierra Club P.O. Box 117, Carbondale, IL 62903-0117 or the Southern Illinois Parkinson Support Group, P.O. Box 266, Carbondale, IL 62903-0266 are the preferred form of remembrance.