Gary Lee McClain

Gary L. McClain, age 79, of Moraine, Ohio passed at his home on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, after a two-year battle with cancer. Gary was surrounded by his loving and devoted wife of 17 years, Sharon, who stayed by his side until he passed away. In his final days, he was under the care of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, end of life.

Gary was born on April 30, 1944, in Terre Haute, Indiana to his parents, William and Vivian (Marques) McClain. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Sam, Norman, Alan Ray, and Billy Gene McClain, sister Mary Lou Newman, infant daughter, Kathy Lynn, and sons, Kenny and Terry McClain. Gary leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife, Sharon, sons, Gary, Jr., and William McClain, sisters-in-law, Esther McClain, and Mary Lou Geisel, grandchildren, Madison, Mackenzie, Mikayla and Lilly McClain, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Gary graduated from Rosedale High School in Rosedale, Indiana in 1962. After graduation, he joined the Navy and went to the Naval Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Illinois and served as Hospital Corpsman Field Service Technician in the Vietnam Campaign. After his military service, he went to Waukegan, Illinois and became a police officer for the Waukegan Police Department.

Later, Gary relocated to Dayton, Ohio and began a long career in the trucking industry. Gary retired from Air Gas in Dayton, Ohio in 2011 as a Fleet Safety and Compliance Officer after a 32-year career.

For fun, Gary liked to umpire baseball games for the Ohio High School Athletics Association. His other interests included going to auctions and estate sales, collecting tractors, going to Bluegrass shows and NASCAR races, riding motorcycles, and going to the casino. Gary and Sharon enjoyed riding their motorcycles all over the United States, especially to the Smokey Mountains in the Fall to enjoy the colors of the trees changing leaves with their good friends, Terry and Cindy Collins. Gary will also be missed by his good friend, Earl Mumma, who often went to auctions and sales with him and were coffee drinking buddies at the Waffle House.

Sharon would like to thank the caring nurses from Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton who attended to Gary in his final week at home where he wanted to spend his final days with Sharon. Thank you for your compassion towards he and Sharon. If you would like to donate to any cause, please consider donating to Hospice of Dayton or the Wounded Warrior Project.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at the Swart Funeral Home, West Carrollton with Pastor Robert Sebastion, First Grace Church, officiating. Inurnment will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the Dayton National Cemetery with Full Military Honors. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Please share your condolences at www.swartfuneralhome.com. Sympathy, Love, and Thinking of You cards may be sent to The Family of Mr. Gery Lee McClain, C/O Swart Funeral Home, 207 E. Central Ave., West Carrollton, Ohio 45449.

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