Gary Loren Brookins
04/16/1971 – 10/01/2024
Gary was born in California and raised in Utah. Growing up, he cultivated the hobby of model cars and a lifelong love affair with Dungeons and Dragons. The personal bonds he cultivated were never forgotten and always cherished. He developed a deep affection for the surrounding mountains and they called to him as home no matter where life took him.
He had a vast respect for the military and a very prominent sense of integrity. He was not judgmental but had a traditional soul. He loved horsepower: motorcycles, cars, and aircraft. He especially loved the 1970 Chevelle. An avid collector, he cherished scale models of all varieties, Hot Wheels, the Forgotten Realms books of R.A. Salvatore, miniatures, complicated puzzles and tabletop gaming. He was fond of tattoos and would stop people on the street to discuss their artwork. He adored traditional Celtic, Irish, and German folk music but was equally enamored with metal and the music of the 70s and 80s. He was a master at Solitaire, Sodoku, and many video games. Gary enjoyed many different genres of movies and television and was not afraid to shed a tear over a good one. His love for Fantasy was deep and steadfast and he had a vast knowledge of lore. His favorite of all mythical creatures was the Griffin, with Dragons coming in close second place.
He was a jack-of-all trades and could fix just about anything but worked mostly in the automotive industry and in maintenance. However, he liked acquiring new skills and loved to cook complicated meals from scratch. Very observant and intuitive, he would garner information about the world that other people would never tend to realize. Passionate in all the things that caught his interest, he would never do anything halfway. He considered himself an anti-social creature but was quite personable and would go far out of his way to help someone in need. Gary loved to make people laugh and would often impersonate different accents and convince people he was a foreigner. He was viciously protective of those he cared about and infinitely loyal. He truly went full out in his generosity with those whom he loved and wanted to give them everything they wished for.
He moved all over the country while raising four children, met his soulmate in Alabama and finally landed in North Dakota where he spent the last nine years. He hated the climate but enjoyed the benefits of the lower cost of living. He grew to love nature and stargazing, the quiet of a small town and catching the Northern Lights. He had a tendency to attract cats wherever he went, but could also attract butterflies, bees, rabbits, and other creatures. He raised fish and kept dogs and always had a new cat following him home. Gary adored being a grandfather and had high hopes of moving closer to family to watch his grandchildren grow up. He worked hard until his body began to fail him, and then did the best that he could before his heart finally failed him. He passed away in a Minot hospital.
Everyone who truly knew him will never forget him. His integrity and love were unsurpassed.
Gary was preceded in death by his Mother, Father, Paternal Grandparents, Maternal Grandfather, as well as Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. He is survived by his soulmate Rachel DePew, sister Jody(Scott) New, brother Vinnie(Traci) Brookins, son Joe, daughters Lorna(Stephen), Danny, and Gloria, stepdaughter Faith(Nolan) Bastian, grandsons Lance, Walker, and Connor, granddaughters Holly and Haily, his Grandma Safford, aunts and uncles, many cousins and nieces and nephews who will all miss him dearly.
Gary was not fond of funerals and even less fond of the churches that held them; there will be a Celebration of Life for him scheduled in 2025 in Utah where he so loved the mountains. Please contact the family for information about the service.
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