Gary Ellwood Skaggs

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.

Obituary

Gary Ellwood Skaggs, Sr.

February 17, 1938 – July 28, 2026

Gary Ellwood Skaggs, Sr., age 88, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Yuma, Arizona following a brief illness, surrounded by comfort and compassionate care.

He was born February 17, 1938, in Benton County, Arkansas. He is survived by his sons, Gary Ellwood Patrick (Skaggs) II and Gary E. Skaggs III; his daughter, Angela Patrick (Skaggs); his step-son, Clint McCool; his step-daughter, Vicky McCool; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and his very special lady-friend, Joy Primiano.

An old-school man of deep conviction, Gary raised his children to be resilient and self-reliant, instilling an unwavering work ethic and strong moral compass. While his early approach was defined by tough love, the passing years softened him into a deeply loving, caring, and supportive father, stepfather, and grandfather. He was immensely proud of all his children, stepchildren, and grandchildren, and in his later years, he treasured the opportunities to reconnect, close distances, and express the quiet pride he held for each of them.

In social settings, Gary was the life of the party - always quick with a joke or a prank, always searching for a laugh. He had an uncanny way of bringing light and humor to even the toughest times and celebrating life’s silver linings. His humor, lightheartedness and never quit attitude impacted so many lives over the years and earned Gary many dear and trusted friends.

Over the course of his life, Gary wore many hats: school bus driver, craftsman, factory worker, salesman, U.S. Air Force veteran, self-taught welder and fabricator, inventor, machinist, professional race car driver, commercial truck driver, heavy equipment operator, gold miner, and karaoke DJ. He was also a world-class storyteller — sometimes true, but always entertaining.

Gary’s wife of 49 years, Judy, was the love of his life. They married in Arkansas in 1966, and loved each other deeply until her passing in 2015. In the winter of 1968, Gary moved to Alaska in search of opportunity, and in the spring of 1969 he brought the family to Fairbanks, Alaska, to “spend the summer.” In 1971, Gary moved the family to Anchorage, where he built many lifelong friendships. They did not leave Alaska until 2005.

In Alaska, Gary became a prolific race car driver, winning championships throughout the state and the Yukon Territory, inspiring future drivers, and making friends along the way. When his racing days ended in the early 1980s, his passion turned to gold mining. He and Judy spent years exploring Alaska, panning and dredging for gold every weekend they could. What began as a hobby became something more, and Gary used his fabricating skills to design and build his own custom wash plants, launching commercial mining operations on the Kenai Peninsula and in Hope, Alaska.

Gold mining became a second career for Gary until 1994, when he shifted his focus to starting a heavy equipment rental and construction business with his wife, Judy, and his son, Gary E. Skaggs III. At the same time, Gary worked as a shop foreman for the U.S. Army civil services at Fort Richardson, formally retiring in 1998 to focus on the family business and to spend weekends boating and fishing at a property he shared with friends at Happy Valley, near Homer, Alaska.

By 1999, the family business had grown and incorporated as Denali Excavation and Pumping Service. Gary continued as an owner/operator until 2003, when he and Judy became snowbirds during the Alaska winters.

In 2005, Gary and Judy built their new home for retirement in Yuma, Arizona, but continued returning to Alaska each summer until 2012, when they settled into year-round life in Yuma.

Gary and Judy loved Yuma as a second home to Alaska, and they made many friends there, largely through Gary’s newest hobby as a local karaoke DJ. The friendships they built in Yuma defined their Golden Years and kept the fires inside them burning.

After Judy passed in 2015, Gary continued his DJ hobby and continued building friendships in the community. Including a very special relationship with a wonderful woman, Miss Joy Primiano, who lovingly stood by his side for the last few years of Gary's life while he bravely battled cancer, multiple surgeries and illnesses, and, finally, dementia. Gary dodged many of life's bullets through the years, which did not go unnoticed by his doctor who once told Gary he was the only person she knew who had nine lives and hadn’t lost any of them. He loved life, and he fought for it to the very end.

Gary was preceded in death by his wife, Judy; his step-daughter, Becky Haines (McCool); step-grandsons Colton Taylor McCool and Brandon Haines, and another special lady in his life, Karen Hitchins.

Celebration of Life

A celebration of life will be held in Yuma, Arizona, in November 2026.

Per Gary’s wishes, his remains will be taken to Hope, Alaska, to rest alongside Judy, Becky, and Brandon. A second celebration of life will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, in the summer of 2027, when the family brings Gary home.

Additional details for both celebrations will be shared at a later date on this platform and through social media, so please check back in soon.

Parties interested in contacting the family may do so through this website, or at geskaggsak@gmail.com.

Memory Gallery

Memory wall