Gary Lee Pyle

Renick, West Virginia— Gary Lee Pyle, age 70, died Saturday January 27th at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley Saturday after a courageous battle with lung and liver cancer.

Gary is survived by his Mother, Lois Darlene Pyle, sisters, Darla Gene Placencia and Julitta Marie Gilbert and many nieces and nephews. Gary was preceded in death by his Father Gene Dillon Pyle.

Gary was a veteran of the US Air Force, proudly serving with the 27th Special Operations Wing Tactical Air Command as an Aircraft and Airframe Mechanic on the F-111D Aardvark Tactical Fighter Bomber.  The F-111 was the first production variable-geometry wing multirole combat aircraft, seeing  heavy use during the latter half of the Vietnam War to conduct low-level ground-attack missions, flying in excess of 4,000 combat missions while incurring only six combat losses in the theatre.

Gary was an avid reader, a poet, a dreamer, and a lover of life.  Whether living as a modern mountain man in Colorado or exploring caves and the mountains of West Virginia, Gary wandered but was not lost. 

Gary was strong willed and stubborn at times, but he also had an enormous heart and sense of humor. He was generous, loyal, and brave. He was clever and full to the brim with knowledge gained through all of his life experiences and had an eternally optimistic view throughout his life.

He will be remembered for all the heart he shared with his family and friends, especially with his best friend Josh, as they were “Brothers from different Mothers.”  He truly loved all of his family and friends and if you knew him, you knew it. When his time came, he carried himself with dignity, strength, and love for those who would be left behind. He will be missed dearly.

In typical Gary fashion, there are no services planned, no pomp and circumstance. A celebration of life will occur at a future date to be determined.