Gary Gene Small, age 77, Baldwin, ND, passed away on September 23, 2023.
A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at McCabe United Methodist Church, Bismarck, ND. Burial will be at the Baldwin Cemetery, Baldwin, ND.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, September 27, 2023 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Bismarck Funeral Home, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service.
Gary was born on January 6, 1946, in Bismarck to Harold and Erna (Meyer) Small. He attended grade school at rural Baldwin Elementary and moved on to graduate from Bismarck High School. He attended and graduated from Diesel Mechanics School in Montreal, Canada.
Gary and Gerry Ann Ibach met in 1966 through a cousin and were later married on April 20, 1968. Gary was a ‘jack of all trades,’ he could fix anything. He worked for John Deere in Bismarck, ND, for 18 years until it closed. He then farmed and ran a repair shop on the farm. He was well known for working on John Deere equipment around the country side. His expertise and mechanical aptitude were sought out by people across the state.
Gary may have best been known for his personality and spirit. He liked a hot cup of coffee with casual conversation and rarely met a dog he didn’t like. You knew if you were in Gary’s good graces pretty easily and no one was off-limits from his humor. He was incredibly loyal to his friends but he disliked being the center of attention.
Gary served on the Baldwin School board as well as the Crofte Township board. Gary enjoyed working with his cattle, yearly haying season, and his unforgettable wood working. He hated working on combines.
He is proceeded in death by his parents, Harold and Erna, his brother, Paul Small and his beloved Ralph – his dog,
Gary is survived by his loving wife Geraldine (Gerry Ann) Baldwin; Andrea (Aaron) Fleck of Solen ND; Jim (Karie) Small of Baldwin ND; Kathy Small and fiancé Rick Gracia of San Diego CA. Grandchildren Summer, Pine and Tiernan Fleck of Solen ND and Haylie Rychlik of Lincoln ND with great-grandson Liam, and brother, Clarence (Ellen) Small and sister-in-law, Mary Small.
A livestream of the services will be on the church website, https://www.mccabechurch.com/