Gary Lee Herron
Appalachian trail name:  "One Thing"
March 7, 1953 - April 27, 2023

In the early morning hours on April 27, 2023, Gary passed away in his apartment in Fresno, CA from the effects of COPD and emphysema. He was 70 years old. He was the second son born to parents Betty Lewis and Alvin Herron and was born at Mission Hospital in Huntington Park, CA.

Gary grew up in suburbs around LA that were known to be rough, more crime ridden neighborhoods.  His mother did her best, often working two jobs to raise her sons but in spite of her best efforts Gary became street smart and street tough in order to survive. He struggled in school and was often in trouble and suspended.   He did not graduate from high school.

When he was 17, he became a Christian and he had no idea as to the significance in the moment but grew to find peace and purpose that gave him security and a sense of direction. Over the next few years, he attended Calvary Chapel's Bible College and Life Bible College. He was involved in teaching bible studies and leading worship in music.

Gary joined the Army during the Vietnam era and served with fervent commitment. After receiving an honorable discharge, he returned to the Southern California area and continued with ministry.

Gary was a strong man and one of his jobs in those days was for Sparklett's Bottled Water.   He delivered bottled water to homes in Hollywood and other areas.  This was when the bottles were glass and weighed 40 pounds empty.  5 gallons of water weighs about 42 pounds so you can understand his strength when you visualize him walking with these bottles on his shoulder as he walked the hills of Hollywood and the stairs to homes and apartments.

Gary was also a long distance runner and he ran in many marathons in LA County and later in GA.

He moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1980 where he served at Calvary Chapel, Sandy Springs as a youth minister. He also attended Kennesaw College and received an Associate's degree.

It was during this time that he began to wrestle with his old addictions and compulsions. He was a recovering alcoholic, and had a gambling addiction. He was his worst critic. He resigned quickly from his position and struggled on his own, fighting his demons.  Many criticized him for his demons but the more, who truly knew him, credited him because he never quit fighting them.  He never excused them and he never gave up.

He moved back to CA and competed a rehab program and ceased drinking and gambling. He went on to become a property manager at a large luxury apartment complex in Newport Beach. He also trained in self defense, and along with a police officer, they taught self defense classes. They also staged "terrorists" scenarios for the Costa Mesa Swat Team to practice on.

Later, Gary started classes for women called W.A.R, an acronym for "Women Against Rape". Besides prevention and practical self defense techniques, Gary was well studied in rapists types and how to recognize and respond accordingly. He gained notoriety and did interviews for newspapers and appeared on local news channel on several occasions.

He moved to Central California in the 90's for 9 years. He built an apartment in my garage and became a protector of my children. They simply thought of him as their uncle. They remember him as funny, lovable and sometimes crabby.  But they loved him.

I met him in Atlanta where we became instant friends. He referred to me as the sister he never had and wished he didn't. He always made me laugh. We had verbal sword fights with sarcasm. His wit always won. He was a very funny man that was the life of every party whether you wanted him to be or not.

In 2003 while living in Clear Lake, CA, Gary began to train to hike the Appalachian Trail which starts in GA and ends in Maine. It is approximately 2,200 miles long. He hiked the trail twice. The first time he hiked all but 200 miles. A harsh winter ended that trek somewhere in the NE. Again, the second trek ended before finishing because he became ill with Lyme's disease.

Gary was an incredible story teller. His tales of the trail were filled with humor and treachery and stories of meeting great people that he sometimes still talked with in his later years.

One of his tales was of his encounter with a black bear. The gist of it was that he thought he could follow the bear for fun and observation. The bear was not keen on the idea and at the point when the bear stopped and turned, they had a meeting of eyes, Gary knew he had made a mistake. With the adrenaline that terror provides, Gary turned and tore through the floor of the forest, snapping limbs and jumping bushes as he heard the bear doing the same. He felt the end was near but then he realized at some point that the noise from the bear had subsided. Still he did not look back until he reached his camp site.

Gary would meet people on the trail that he made an instant connection with.  For those of you who knew Gary well, making connections came easy.   Again, he was a funny man that knew much about nothing and much about a great deal and he liked to draw from each well of knowledge. He appreciated hearing other people's stories, too (as long as you didn't talk too long).   🙂

His stories of hiking during a lightning storm were horrifying. Lightning has no grace and you cannot hide but at best try to minimize your chances of being hit. The lightning would light up where it struck and the noise would thunder clap with bone chilling volume, but he was thankful for the piercing sound resonating through his body because it meant he was alive. He learned to stay calm when he had no place to hide. Lightning storms were his greatest fear on the trail. However, during one of his treks, he and a female hiker encountered a very odd acting man. He had weapons and bragged of a gun. He was trying to engage them into spending time with him. Gary and his trail partner were able to ruse him and leave. Later they heard about deaths on the trail, murders actually.  The serial killer was caught and proved to be this man they had encountered.

Hiking the AT was a highlight event of his life. He never tired of telling his tales. He hiked over 4,000 miles, just missing completion by 200. That 200 ate at him. He did not finish it and he obsessed. He planned until almost the end of his life to go back. That was Gary.

After his trail life, he moved to Middletown, CA, which is located on a mountain above the Napa Valley. It is here that he found the love of his life, Bailey, a beautiful auburn colored border collie/Australian shepherd mix.  He got her from a shelter. He knew she was the one and she agreed. She became his service dog. Gary had knee surgery and Bailey was trained to get his meds, pick up his cane with the handle turned to him and generally protect him. They often hiked through miles of woods together. Once they were lost and finally Gary gave up and said, "Bailey, take us home." She did. Dehydrated and delighted, Gary came through the woods to the parking lot with Bailey calmly waiting as if to say, "What is the problem?  I got you."

Bailey loved long hours of frisbee catching and long hours of simply laying at his feet. She grew old and he grew to dread saying goodbye after 13 years together. I went with him to the vet. I carried Bailey in and was with him as he said his last goodbye. He cried uncontrollably and unashamed. She was his dearest companion.

Gary could not speak of her much less look at her picture for two years. In his last year when I was with him, he was able to put her picture up on his wall and talk about her and reminisce with laughter and not too many tears. I agreed with him.  She was a special dog. A gift.

Whatever Gary did, he did with complete commitment. He spent several years learning photography and has a beautiful library of pictures.

His last venture was leather crafting. He was just getting started when he passed. He promised me a wallet for Christmas. He would have done it.

I mentioned Gary's early years in ministry. He became disillusioned with God and himself and announced he was agnostic. He consistently maintained this for years. Then I began to notice, though, in his last months many comments that indicated a softening of heart. He began to talk of his early conversion days and his days of ministry with tenderness and an awareness that they were great years for him.   He began to talk about his friends from that time with warmth. He referred to God as "the Lord". He told me that he would allow one person to talk to him about the Lord before he died and that was me. I think he pictured a death bed scene. It never came. He died alone before we could talk.  I really had nothing to say that he didn't already know. "Jesus died for your sins.  He loves you," is the simplified version.

I trust he is in the presence of God. I guarantee you he isn't resting in peace. He is laughing and talking with those whom have gone before. Especially his mother who died while he was hiking the trail.

See you there, Gary.