Good-lookin' Grandpa: A Tribute

"The Good-lookin' Grandpa"

is what my dad gave himself for a nickname.

He passed away recently. More details will follow in this blog entry.

Here with baby Nick and Maddie at the Cottonwood Club pool (SLC, UT) where he lived for years. He worked in land acquisition and developement/leasing all over the West, but always had home base in the Salt Lake valley.

My dad, Gary Lee Machan, passed away on September 7th. I had just visited him in Salt Lake City, UT, about 9 days before that, knowing that he was close to leaving this earthly state. My other out-of-town sister met me there and along with 2 other siblings, we talked with him and tried to comfort his fears of dieing. I spoke at his service and talked to many of his friends and associates the days between his passing and the funeral. These were the words I literally heard from each associate: "Your dad was a legend. He was a rain-maker; he was a visionary in business. He was 10 steps ahead of everybody else. He worked hard and played hard. He was a great friend. He knew how to have a good time."

This photo is from the day I got married in 1996.

This next two are photos of my siblings and spouses (2nd one) after the funeral:

The Five Kids: Me, Jake (& son, Scotland), Christie, Mac, and Holly Ted, moi, Jake (son & wife, Viviana), Christie, Mac (wife & son not present), Holly and Robert (her spouse). We had a slide show at the service and an amazing solo, no, two solos. One by Maddie (singing, I Wonder When He Comes Again) and the other by my dad's very good friend and limo driver, Mowa Iona, who came with an instrumental CD and asked to sing, "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. Wow! We were stunned and thrilled, because my dad was the most unboring person on the planet and we had nothing to 'jazz' up his funeral. This was the missing piece of the planning. Mowa is Polynesian and sang with a huge, beautiful voice! The words of the song were unbelievably fitting and perfect. We think my dad was applauding from heaven. Gary at age 6, Grand Island, NE Gary, cerca 1968, new dad to me My dad graduating from BYU with Masters Degree, 1969 Classic 1970s dad My dad got this chimp to come to one of our birthday parties. We loved monkeys and had monkey dolls, but he thought the real things would be even better. Had to get a photo of my mom and her gorgeous 1971 hairdo. Holly and I with parents. The really only tender photo I've ever seen of my dad.

This was classic! (below) My dad loved to travel big and in style. We took hired cars to the airport; we went to the "Crown" or "Admiral Room" to wait for our flight while sampling (imagine 3 little girls and later 5 little kids in those quiet places for the rich traveler--eek) all the free snacks and making noisy chaos. He took us to Hawaii, Bahamas (remote islands you had to boat to after riding a 4-seater plane), and Florida or Palm Springs. The bummer was he always had a mobile phone (even before anyone knew they existed) and did business most of the trip. And he was always Type AAA personality, so the trips could be pretty stressful for all of us. But anyway, here was his classic look: sunglasses on a chain/rope-thing, shorts pulled up high on waist, sunscreen or money pouch around his neck, and a rubber-banded wad of $100 bills in his hand (look closely, I think that is what he has below).

Don't know where this is, but he had a house in Bear Lake, UT with marina; Las Vegas condo and we skiied on Lake Mead, (mountains look like UT in this) or some island... When my parents divorced, we were about 2 years older than this. We lived in this house in Murray, UT (just a couple of miles from where Ted grew up). I think about how we as little kids must have felt with our splitting up, and I have mourned it; now that I have kids, it hits me much harder. But things turned out for the best for my mom and us, we all agree.

Holly, Robyn, and Christie My dad went with me to NYC in 1986 when I was a nanny in New Jersey three days prior to my start date. We stayed with one of his many associates, this one lived right on West Central Park (I think was the name of it). My dad is pointing to the building where John Lennon was shot. We also went shopping with "The Countess" another friend, who had a European accent. I don't even know is she was a countess or if my dad, king of nicknames, just called her that because she was wealthy and foreign.

My dad and step-mom of about 20 years, Laura. We are still in touch and see her when possible. We loved her so much because she really made us feel special and pretty as young girls and teenagers. She treated us beautifully; she was and is a very kind-hearted person. Having her with my dad made us want to spend time with him all the more. It's true. I'm sure he knew that. She and my dad took us to our first big concert, REO Speedwagon, in 1979.

My dad and Laura had two boys in the 1980s. They were very young when I moved away for college, mission, CA, then marriage. We are all now adults and finding friendship and comraderie.

My dad came to stay with us in New Hampshire in the summer, for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas. This is us at Rye Beach, NH. Interestingly enough, for Christmas he gave Ted some pajamas bottoms (in a light green shade) with strawberries all over them; my dad had a matching pair of PJ bottoms. Needless to say, they weren't Ted's style; I wear them and I like them because they are nice and loose all over. Did I mention my dad's crazy style? My sister talked about it at the funeral. He wore a full-length fur coat with cowboy hat (or giant Russian fur hat) and cowboy boots. He owned at least 16 pairs. We grew up singing "Ring of Fire" and "A Boy Named Sue" from 8-tracks. Thanks, Johnny.

Here is my mom and dad and his parents, Opal and Don Machan, who passed away when Maddie was a toddler. They left a legacy of geneology and old photographs and letters. It's a treasure I am proud and contented to have with me now. This is baby me, 1968.

My dad and me at my mom's parents home in northern CA (Menlo Park). This is one of my favorites. Summer of '69 (isn't there a song with that title, Bryan Adams).

My dad picking me up (along with mom and siblings, etc.) from my mission; SLC airport.

My father died about 10 days after my step-father's mother died. We all flew up to Salt Lake for my dad's funeral, to be with my siblings, and to talk, reminisce, (laugh), (Cry), and to be buoyed up by the oldest, dearest friends in the world, my high school and some college friends who came! And thanks to our cousin, Sheri, who came, too. Ted's entire family (who live in UT) came, also; none of us in the family can believe my dad, who was larger than life, finally let go of it. He lived for nearly two years as an invalid, due to complications of a stroke. He was 65 and working well over 65 hours per week when it happened. He still had "deals" going and was even trying to buy property in France and all over from his bed in the nursing home. A land developer & investor to the end.

I can't wait to find out what he thought about his dear friends' serenade, who sang the true-to-his-life phrase, "I did it myyyyy waaaaay!" I thank my dad for believing in me; anything I wanted to do he supported. He was a go-getter and showed me that by trying you can do anything. He loved and admired my husband and told my kids over the phone how much he loved them often. I know he was proud of me. I am happy he is out of the shell of a body he was living in; I am deeply contented that he was able to make peace with all his kids and two ex-wives over the past few months; sincerely. God humbled him greatly and gave him a chance to renew relationships, to forgive, and to be forgiven. I thank Him for that. I will always remember sharing his last days with my two sisters and one of my brothers. I will always remember how much we laughed and how tender our emotions were. And I will remember my husband's fervent prayers on the night my dad passed away; and also, Ted's thoughts of scriptures about the resurrection and eternal life. We shared some amazing moments throughout the entire week; my father's death brought deepened the bonds in my TX family and my extended family. And strengthened our faith in the plan of salvation & Jesus Christ.