Gary Horace George Utter

Gary Horace George Utter, 74, passed away Thursday, July 2, 2020. He was the loving husband of Patricia L. (Scott) Utter and they celebrated 52 years of marriage in August of 2019. Born in Harvard, Illinois, Gary was the son of the late Horace King and Lydia Katherine (Jensen) Utter. Gary was a retired Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Signal Corps. Gary earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York in 1979 and his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Hood College in 1992. After retiring, Gary was employed as a counselor to individuals who had long-term mental illness or drug and alcohol issues. Gary spent 50 years researching the genealogy lines of the Utter family, including trips to Sweden, many hours at the National Archives, and numerous visits to cemeteries throughout the United States. In 2015, Gary published the account of the early history of the Utter family in America in his book Utter: The Name of the Tree. Gary was an avid reader of non-fiction books on the topic of military history. He also enjoyed gardening and traveling. He loved his family dearly, especially his two granddaughters. Surviving in addition to his wife is a son, Gary D.S. Utter and his wife, Charlotte, of Stewartstown; two granddaughters, Ansley and Paige Utter; and a sister, Ellen Mae Austin of Scottsdale, AZ. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marilyn Miller. Services and interment are private and at the convenience of his family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gary's memory to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention or Mission 22.