Garry Michael Mahoney

Garry Michael Mahoney, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, passed away peacefully on September 22, 2024, at the age of 89. Born on February 26, 1935, Garry grew up in Dorrance, Kansas, the eldest of three children to Regina and Elmo Mahoney.

Growing up on the family farm, Garry was inquisitive, mischievous, and always busy; he was slowed down only briefly after breaking both legs when he was a toddler. By the age of 16, he was harvesting wheat, keeping the farm machinery running, and eating lots of fried chicken – his lifelong favorite meal. His father taught him to fly a small Cessna airplane from the runway in his Uncle Ken’s pasture and a lasting passion for aviation was seeded.

Garry graduated from Fort Hays State in 1960 and was hired at Beech Aircraft where he worked for 43 years. He was instrumental in the development (both in design and test piloting) of a new airplane model for Beech. He loved flying the King Air most of all and flew it around the country and traveled the world during his time at Beech.

On August 27, 1966, Garry married Peggy Kasper at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, beginning a journey together that would span nearly six decades. Together, they raised three children: Anne, Matthew and Erin. He was a loving father whose actions always spoke louder than his words.

Over many decades, Garry enjoyed passing the time with family and friends at a certain purple dock in Marshall Cove at Lake Wilson, or while tailgating at a Kansas State football game. He had an impish wit, loved a good debate, and always had stories of airplanes and travels to share.

Garry’s hands were rarely idle; he was a master of engines and a craftsman at heart. Whether working on the family Avery tractor, tinkering with the family boat for another weekend of laking, or fully restoring a Model A automobile, Garry’s skill and hard work radiated. His skill for woodworking resulted in home remodels and exceptional cabinetry in each of the three successive homes that his family grew up in, and he created lasting pieces that his family continues to use and treasure.

Garry Michael Mahoney led a long life filled with adventure, merriment and ingenuity; he has left this world a better place. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; his children Anne, Matthew (Sara) Mahoney and Erin (Derek) Haskin; six grandchildren, Nicolas, Ana Lucia, Maeve, Liam, Blake and Collin; and his sisters, Linda and Jan.

A service to honor Garry’s life will be held at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson, Kansas on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at 11AM. Visitation will be on Friday, 6-8PM at the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Dorrance with a Parish Vigil & Rosary Service at 6:30PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Dorrance Historical Society or Evergreen Hospice of Kansas City and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home.