Kenneth Jay Mcgary

Kenneth Jay McGary, 89, of Ucon, Idaho, passed away August 17, 2020, at his home. He was under the care of his loving family.

Ken was born July 18, 1931, in Jameston, Idaho, to Job and Ireta Hess McGary. He grew up and attended Jameston Elementary, O.E. Bell Jr. High, and Idaho Falls High School. He enlisted in the United States Air Force on September 7, 1950, during the Korean War and earned his GED while in the Air Force.

On April 30, 1953, he married Colleen “Connie” Hill in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Together, they were sent by cruise ship to serve an Air Force Mission Duty in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for three years, where their first two children were born. His final year in the Air Force was at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. He served our country for almost seven years, and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before being honorably discharged in 1957.

Upon returning to Ucon, they built the home in which they have lived for over 62 years. He loved working in his yard, and took great pride in manicuring and watering the two acres he and Connie cultivated.

Ken began as a tradesman, and was a journeyman brick mason; however, when Idaho winters didn’t allow consistent year-round work, he returned to the grocery business. He was the manager of Saving Center stores in Ammon and Idaho Falls for over 26 years. All of his six children worked with him learning business fundamentals, such as customer service, inventory, merchandising, accounting, logistics, loading, unloading, stocking, etc.-- which is why they all call him “Ken.”

After retiring, Ken enrolled at BYU-Idaho and studied woodworking–something he’d always wanted to do! He built a shop where he hand-crafted entertainment centers, cabinets, gun cases, shelves, or any other item requested by his family.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served in four different LDS stakes for 38 years–most of that time as a very organized Stake Clerk. He served as a temple ordinance worker for over 12 years. He also enjoyed indexing and completed over 40,000 names within that program.

Ken considered his greatest accomplishment to be his family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Ken is survived by his loving wife, Connie McGary of Ucon; son, Richard (Connie Jean) McGary of Rigby, ID; daughters, Linda (Randy) Heyrend of Ucon, Shawna (Drew) Adams of Idaho Falls, Caralyn (Rick) Olson of Idaho Falls, Rita (David) Morrow of Idaho Falls, and Jann (Darin) Craig of Swan Valley, ID; brothers, Marvin (Elaine) McGary of Idaho Falls and Dallon (Dorothy Ann) McGary of New Sweden, ID; sister, Sherolene Clayton of Centralia, WA; 28 grandchildren and 67 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Garth and Jerry McGary; and sisters, Glendora Peterson and Colleen West.

Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 21, 2020, at the Ucon Cemetery, 3960 East 105th North. If attending, consider bringing a chair and maybe an umbrella. The family will visit with friends Thursday, August 20, 2020, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road. Military Rites will be performed by the Bonneville County Veterans Memorial Team and the Air Force Honor Guard.

The family would like to extend their thanks to One Source Home Health & Hospice.