Gary Ancil Link, 80, Owensville, passed away Tuesday, May 12, at Mercy Hospital in Washington.
He was born Feb. 9, 1941, to the late Ancil and Melba (Boyer) Link in St. Louis.
He was united in marriage to Linda Lou Walker April 13, 1963 in Freeburg, Ill.
He was raised in Poplar Bluff and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1960. Gary was a member of the Carpenters Council of Greater St. Louis. With the Carpenters Union, he built missile silos, worked on the pipeline and was the house carpenter at the St. Louis Checker Dome, former home of the St. Louis Blues. He also served as the building trades instructor at St. Clair High School in the mid-eighties before becoming the long time farm manager at Jackson Farms for Kenneth Jackson in Owensville.
For over five decades, Gary was an avid horseman and just an “old cowboy”. He raised Appaloosa Horses, American Quarter Horses and working stock dogs. Gary spent many years running training stables for horses alongside his wife, Linda. Early in life, he traveled the Midwest showing and training horses for various breeders and was featured in the Western Horseman and the Appaloosa News Magazine.
Gary loved to tell stories about his travels. He was quite the musician and loved to play the harmonica and banjo. But mostly, Gary was a family man, when he wasn’t roping with his sons; he could be seen along the sidelines at ballgames, livestock shows, school events and rodeos cheering his kids and grand-kids on.
He was preceded in death by wife; Linda; parents, Ancil and Melba; and brother, Dr. James Link.
Gary is survived by grandchildren, Matthew Gray, Kory Hecht and wife Kate, Dusty Janish, Amanda Limback and husband Darren, Melissa Scego and husband Nick, Cheyenne Bendell and husband Mike and Casey, Lane, and Cody Link; great-grandchildren, Skyler Gray and husband Colton, Gemma, and Jolie Hecht, Clayton and Jacob Scego, Oakley and Montgomery Limback, and Kennedy Bendell; brother, Joe Link and wife Sue of Waterloo, Ill.; sister-in-law, Evelyn Link of Neosho; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other family and friends.
Visitation will be from 12 noon to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 12, followed by a Celebration of Life service at Gerald Legion Park in Gerald with Pastor Glenn Hollander officiating.
Arrangments entrusted to Gottenstroeter Funeral Home in Owensville.
