Gary Pelkey Obituary

Gary Leo "Crash" Pelkey of Hurst, Texas, passed away on November 19, 2024 at the Dallas VA Medical Center.

Born on May 22, 1954 to Eugene (Gene) and Lorraine Pelkey of Litchfield, New Hampshire, he grew up in Litchfield, New Hampshire and graduated from Manchester, NH Memorial High School.

After graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy, serving from 1973 to 1977, honorably discharge with the rank of HT2. He worked as a welder in New Hampshire before relocating to Southern California. He continued work as a welder and union representative in the San Diego, California area for Solar International Harvester and Caterpillar. He later worked in Albuquerque, New Mexico before making his home in Hurst, Texas with his sister, Lois. He continued working in the welding trade in various states across the country, travelling to wherever the jobs were located.

Among his many accomplishments, as a union representative, he successfully completed the 80th Class of The Trade Union Program at Harvard University sponsored by participating labor organizations and wore his Harvard ring with pride.

After retiring, he spent summers in Michigan, Ohio and New Hampshire visiting with family and friends, helping to remodel, landscape or contributing his skills wherever they were needed, either with a smile or roll of his eyes, depending on the task.

For those of you who may be wondering, "Crash" was the name he received from "friends" after surviving a motorcycle / automobile crash in New Mexico in 1999; his grandsons always called him "Grampa Crash" and he would often introduce himself as "Crash".

He was a Friend of Bill and was willing to lend an ear or offer words of encouragement to any who asked.

Gary is survived by his daughter, Erica Lee Anderson and son-in-law Paul Anderson and three grandsons: Christopher, David and Justin, all of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

He is also survived by his sisters, Anne-Marie Pelkey, Lois Martineau Dixon of Hurst, Texas; Patricia Pelkey Dvareckas of Nashua, NH and Mary-Louise Heighes (and brother-in-law Mark Heighes) of Lakewood, CA, as well as several nephews, nieces and cousins.

The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to the staff of the VA Medical Centers in West Roxbury, Massachusetts and Dallas, Texas. Memorials may be made to the VA Community Living Center in Dallas, Texas.

Services: There are no calling hours. The funeral will be held Friday, July 18, 2025, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 AM in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 172 Belmont Street, Manchester, NH.

Burial with military honors will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery Litchfield, New Hampshire.

The Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 537 Union Street, Manchester, NH, has the honor of handling the arrangements.

For more information visit: www.connorhealy.com.