Gary Lee Staples, 69, of Carroll passed away at his home on Sunday, August 24,2025, surrounded by family. Services will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 29, 2025, at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with visitation from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Private family graveside services will be held in the Carroll City Cemetery at a later date.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home and online condolences may be left for Gary’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Gary was the son of Keith Staples and Yvonne (Jorgensen) Staples. On April 15, 1989, he married Pat (Lampe) Staples. Gary attended Wentworth Military Academy, Peru State College and years later DMACC.
Gary’s knowledge and love for cars lead him to opening Midtown Auto Glass. He loved restoring the old cars back to original quality and design. He may have cussed them once in a while but he rolled out beauties when they were finished. He did allow for some fun like swap meets and car shows occasionally. He always joked about the weekend when he wanted to work on his own stuff that wives threw their hubbies out of the house so they came to see what he was up to in the shop, coffee and newspaper in hand. He had hobbies like gardening and yard work or building some crazy yard art that people couldn’t resist. Always busy and never enough time in a day for him. We made one heck of a team on projects and disasters but most of the time I was always in the place he needed to be, how we laughed about that later in life. He was a good cook and only did dishes to get the creases in his hands clean. He was a good father and a good man. His two nicknames were Sammy Slammer and GarBear. I had a few more for him you know like “Honey” and “Sweetie” and we will leave it at that.
Gary is survived by his wife Pat Staples; two children Eric (Tasha) Staples and Trista (Jake) Kalkhoff; five grandchildren: Madi, Peyton, Alayna, Rikki and Elijah; one great grandson River; his brother John (Diane) Staples and their children: Kerri (Bill) Finner, Allie Staples, Brandon (Michaela) and Lennon Staples; a sister-in-law Lori Kunkel; brother-in-law law Tracy Hall; Aunts Marlene Walters and Virginia (Norbert) Stoberl; Uncles Darvin Jorgensen and Mick Schurer; and by many other family and many friends.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jacklin, Pat’s parents Lawrence and Ethel Lampe, his best friend Mike Schurer, his niece Linda Steffen, aunts and uncles, a few cousins, some in-laws (or outlaws), and his shop dog Jack. I would name them all but there isn’t enough paper. So let’s close this knowing that when the Bear said, “I love you!” it was as heartfelt as it could have been. You will never be forgotten!
