Keith Hal Mcgary

Keith “Hal” McGary, 83, passed away peacefully at his home in Shelley, ID, surrounded by family on April 15, 2011. He moved on after a two year struggle with cancer and the effects of numerous surgeries.

Hal was born on August 21, 1927 to Owen and Lillian Greco McGary in Shelley, Idaho the second of four children. He lived most of his life in Shelley; attending Shelley Elementary, Shelley Junior High and graduating from Shelley High School.

Hal was inducted into the Army shortly after high school graduation, towards the end of WWII. He served in the Armored Reconnaissance Group at Fort Lewis, Washington. After being discharged, he attended Utah State University under the GI Bill and later transferred to Idaho State University. It was at ISU that he met his wife, Cora Mae Lee, a friend of his roommate, Bill Marks. They were married on August 21, 1952 at his home in Shelley. Hal graduated in electronics from the ISU Trade and Industry School. Their son, Kim, was born in Shelley.

Shortly thereafter, he was hired by North American Aviation in Downey, California. While living in California, their daughter, Jan, was born. Hal, Cora, and their young children returned to Idaho after two years in California. Hal first worked with his father, Owen McGary, a building contractor, until hiring on with Westinghouse and then with the Atomic Energy Commission at the Idaho Nuclear Laboratory. Hal retired in 1986 after working at the site for nearly 30 years.

After retirement, Hal worked at Town and Country Gardens, volunteered at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), became an Advanced Master Gardener, and then purchased a 20 acre farm near Gem Lake. Hal always loved plants and gardening. He built a greenhouse onto his home in 1978 to cultivate orchids and other exotic plants. He was known as the “orchid man” at EIRMC for bringing different orchids for the enjoyment of the other volunteers and doctors. He volunteered as a Master Gardener at Tautphaus Park Zoo. The rainforest portion of the park was dedicated to Hal in 1994 in appreciation for his hard work and his donation of exotic plants.

The purchase of the farm gave Hal a broader opportunity to experiment with plants and trees. This included the planting of acres of sunflowers to support migrating waterfowl. Hal had a great love for animals, and the farm gave him an opportunity to care for birds and animals, both domesticated and wild. It gave him peace and contentment in his later years.

He enjoyed many outdoor activities – hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. Hal and Cora enjoyed taking their children on camping trips from the time they were toddlers.  As the children grew up, Hal instilled in them the desire to travel and explore the world around them.  The family took many extended vacations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Hal had an unquenchable thirst for learning; he was a voracious reader consuming books on every subject; especially science literature and keeping up with modern technology. Hal and Cora loved to travel, visiting exotic places such as Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Peru, and the Amazon rain forests.

Hal loved his family and is survived by his wife, Cora of Shelley, ID; his son, Kim (Pam) McGary of Idaho Falls; his daughter Jan (Keith) Larsen of Kaysville, UT; his grandchildren;  Kenneth, Amy and Sean McGary, Michael Larsen, Zach Larsen, Whitney (Trent) Bassett, and Jon (Katrina) Larsen, and his great grand children; Jane and Grant Bassett. He is also survived by his sister Gail Nielsen of Ammon, ID and his brother Tad (Denise) McGary of Nampa, ID. He was preceded in death by his parents, Owen and Lillian Greco McGary and his older brother, Noel “Bud” McGary. We will miss you, Hal.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 22, at the Shelley 3rd and 5th Ward Chapel (513 S. Park Ave.). The family will receive friends from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Nalder Funeral Home (110 W. Oak St. in Shelley) and 9:30 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. Friday at the church. Burial will be in the Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery with military rites by the David B. Bleak Post No. 93 and the Idaho Honor Guard.

The family expresses their thanks to Dr. Leland Krantz, the Hands of Hope hospice nurses and the medical caregivers at Promontory Point rehab center and the 5th floor and TCU at EIRMC for their many kindnesses during Hal’s last days.