Gary Ray Doane was born to Ralph and Eileen Doane on July 28, 1948. He was raised on a farm northwest of Downs, Kansas, with his three brothers. He married his wife, Glennys Elaine Gilmore, on November 5, 1977 and enjoyed 45 years of marriage while farming and raising three children just a few miles from his childhood home. Gary passed away on May 7, 2023 at Mitchell County Hospital.
He was preceded in death by his father; mother; mother-in-law; brother, Keith; sister-in-law, Marcia Sparks; and nephew, Nathan Sparks. He is survived by his wife, Glennys; children, Amy of Downs, Vic (Amanda) of Prairie Village, and Edie of Manhattan; two grandchildren, Will and Grant; brothers, Brent (Linda) of Portis and Steve (Heidi) of Downs; father-in-law, Ralph Gilmore of Aledo, Illinois; sister-in-law, Marsha Doane of Downs; brother-in-law, Jim Sparks of Winterset, Iowa; and sister-in-law, Linda (Lee) Tank of Bettendorf, Iowa. He was blessed with many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews whom he loved and held dear.
Gary grew up in the Rose Valley Church and was an active congregant all his life. He was passionate about sharing his faith with the Downs community and frequently invited, and often even drove, kids and young people to church or related events.
After graduating from Downs High School, Gary attended Kansas State University where he received a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics in 1970. During his college years, he was involved in a variety of activities, but most notably enjoyed his time and friendships in the FarmHouse fraternity. He remained a dedicated K-State fan throughout his life.
Gary lived his life with intentionality and purpose, working to make his community and North Central Kansas a place where people would enjoy spending their lives. He was profoundly impacted by his friend and mentor, Doyle Rahjes. He sought opportunities to serve others in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, civic issues, politics and leadership, with a specific goal of empowering young people and those in need of some extra help. While he gave his time generously to numerous organizations, two were especially meaningful to him because of the people he encountered and experiences he had.
He served at the county and state level in the Kansas Farm Bureau, including a term on the state Young Farmers & Ranchers committee and eight years on the state board of directors. His involvement took him throughout the state, nation and around the world. Farm Bureau gave him a platform to work on issues that were important to Kansas agriculture, such as water, taxes and international trade. Gary also served as chair of the board of directors for the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program and accompanied groups of leaders on domestic sessions and international trips as they saw the best of Kansas and learned from people all over the world. These organizations instilled a love for experiencing cultures around the world and he (often accompanied by Glennys) traveled to Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine, England, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, South Africa, Chile and Cuba, where Gary never met a stranger.
Gary enjoyed farming but felt that the greatest thing he could cultivate was a new generation of people to take over the communities and quality of life that make Kansas a wonderful place to live and raise a family. He often said he wanted to help raise new leaders to pass along on the types of opportunities he enjoyed in North Central Kansas. He spent his life growing, building and sustaining his family and community and now leaves a legacy of leadership and investment in the lives of people all over Kansas and beyond. Gary was never more excited than when he saw someone younger taking interest and developing a passion for growing, building, and sustaining future generations to come.
The Doane family would like to thank the doctors and nursing staff at Mitchell County Hospital for their diligent and compassionate care of Gary in the final months of his life.
The family invites you to celebrate Gary's life with them at a visitation at 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10, and a service on Thursday, May 11, at 11:00 a.m., both at Rose Valley Church. Gary will be laid to rest with a graveside service at the Rose Valley Cemetery following the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, please consider continuing Gary's legacy by donating to one of these organizations that were important to him:
Heart Choices of Beloit
Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture
Kansas Agriculture & Rural Leadership Program (KARL)
Memorials may be sent to Domoney Funeral Home, P.O. Box 127, Downs, KS 67437.