Gary Ray Jeffries

Obituary

Gary Ray Jeffries was born in 1957 in Denver, Colorado. He passed away at his home in Temple, Texas, in October 2026 at the age of 69. Gary is survived by his son, Micheal Gary Jeffries, and his wife Abby, of Rockdale, Texas.

Gary treasured the time he spent with his Grandma Jeffries in Littleton, Colorado, where he attended Rocky Mountain Christian School. Gary’s prized possession that he carried with him throughout his life was his grandmother’s bible. Gary had strong faith from a young age.

Gary served twice in the United States Army. He wrote about his military career in his own words. His first hitch was at the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, 65th Engineer Battalion, Company Cabo B, from September 1975 to 1978. In 1981, he left the United States from St. Louis, Missouri, and served on DMZ against North Korean Forces during peace time. He writes that he arrived back to the United States at Fort Ord in California, “a very happy young man.” He then served at Fort Hood in Texas until 1983, and remained nearby in Temple for the rest of his life. In a conversation with his son, Gary said that he loved Texas and never wanted to leave.

Gary saved a framed letter from his boss in the military that summed up his dedication to serving the country. The letter thanked Gary for always being willing to work extra hours or pick up extra duties without complaining. It also stated that Gary improved team morale with his encouraging and supportive personality.

Further testament to Gary’s faith, sense of duty, and encouraging personality, he felt called to minister by sharing bible tracts. For more than 30 years, Gary shared the gospel by leaving bible tracts at gas pumps, outside of stores, or wherever he felt led to leave them. When Gary passed away, his box of tracts for October 2026 was still sealed on the table. He had taped a handwritten bible verse to the box for his loved ones to find: 2 Corinthians 4:16, “but though our outward man parish, the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Gary was an honest, God-fearing man who served his country with pride and spent years finding ways to share his faith in his community. At the same time, Gary struggled with depression and anxiety that caused him to withdraw from other people. In lieu of flowers, please reach out to a loved one who might need someone to lean on.

If you choose to make a donation in Gary’s name, consider a nonprofit that provides veterans with support services for their mental health and wellbeing. One option local to Gary’s home helping veterans in Texas is renewedlifetx.com.