Frederick Gerald Clary, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away at the Wesley Woodlawn Hospital in Wichita, on December 1, 2018, at the age of 80. He was born April 19, 1938, in Deerfield, Missouri, the son of Noah Frederick Clary and Lois Vivian (Thurman) Clary.
Gerald spent his entire life in Kansas. He grew up on a farm near Fort Scott where he developed a strong work ethic, a love of the outdoors and animal husbandry, and a passion for tending to the family, friends, and animals in his care. He attended elementary school in Garland and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1956.
He went on to continue his education at Kansas State University, graduating with a master’s degree in animal nutrition in 1967. He loved flying and bought his first airplane before getting married. On June 2, 1962, he married Rosemary Albright in Fort Scott and they made their home on a farm near there. To this union two daughters were born, Susan and Rae Lynn.
Gerald loved raising cattle and in 1970 took his first job in the feedlot industry, as the assistant manager of High Plains Feedyard in Leoti. Ultimately, he moved his family to Syracuse in 1971 and managed the A.I.D. Feedyard for 3 ½ years. In 1975 he designed, developed, and managed a new feedlot, Cowtown Feeders in Syracuse. In 1992, he began work as a bank loan officer. In 1994, having exhausted his patience for working at a desk in a temperature-controlled office, out of the rain and snow and wind, he was enticed to manage another feedlot until 2008. He then worked as a bank loan inspector, traveling to feedlots in several states, until retiring in 2010. He enjoyed living in Syracuse and resided there until his passing.
Gerald was a member of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Garland. He was a member of the Memphis Masonic Lodge #108 in Garland, a perpetual life member of the Syracuse Masonic Lodge #309, and a member of the Johnson Masonic Lodge #441, as well as a member of the Kansas York Rite Bodies in Liberal, and a 32nd Degree KCCH of the Wichita Scottish Rite.
He was a former 4-H project leader and club leader, and past chairman of the Hamilton County Extension Council, both of Syracuse, as well as a past president of the Beef Empire Days in Garden City and a past member of the Kansas Livestock Association.
He enjoyed flying, golfing, spending time in Colorado, taking care of his wife and family, and spending time with his grandkids and family.
Survivors include his wife, Rosemary, of the home; two daughters, Susan Dunham and husband Douglas, Wichita, KS, and Rae Lynn Phillips and husband Steve, Syracuse, KS; four grandchildren, Tim Dunham and wife Sarah, Wichita, KS, Michael Dunham, Wichita, KS, Jake Phillips, Syracuse, KS, and Megan Phillips, Syracuse, KS; one great-granddaughter, Harper Dunham, Wichita, KS; and many family members and friends
. He was preceded in death by a sister, Wanda June Clary; and his parents.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, December 15, at the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.
The family will receive friends from 5:30 until 7:00 Friday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be payable to First United Methodist Church or Masonic Lodge #309, sent in care of Fellers Funeral Home & Monuments LLC, P.O. Box 1253, Syracuse, KS 67878. 620-384-5100.
Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.