Gary Lewis Haberland passed away on February 2, 2021 at the age of 78.
Gary was born in Oakland, California to Herman and Violet Haberland. The family moved to Gardnerville, Nevada when Gary was 6.
Both of his parents and his niece, April Schultz, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his two brothers, Don and Larry (Diana), and sister, Kathy (Norris Schultz); niece Roberta Haberland; great niece Kathy (Michael Smith) and their children, great nephew Butch (Tequila) and their children; and many cousins.
Gary loved trains, bicycles and cars, and had a collection of more than 900 die-cast model cars. He worked as a custodian at the Douglas County School System for 20 years in Gardnerville, Nevada and lived in the Oxoby Mobile Home Park for over 40 years until he moved to Sparks to be closer to his brother.
Gary was most recognized riding one of his seven bicycles around Minden, Gardnerville, and later Sparks. He owned a blue ‘55 Buick Special that was his pride & joy. Gary and his brother drove his Buick through Wyoming to Devil’s Tower in South Dakota and in the Railroad Days Parade in Dunsmuir, California.
Gary was always upbeat and positive and was ready to go anywhere including hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and to the top of Job’s Peak. He spent many summers at the Cave Springs Resort in Dunsmuir taking care of the pool for his cousin, Louie.
Gary was a fixture at the railroad depot while there and became a buddy to many of the train crews passing through Dunsmuir. They would often take him on helper duty from Dunsmuir to Grass Lake and even stopped a returning locomotive once to pick Gary up when he was pushing his disabled bike along the tracks. He formed some long-term friendships railroading, and was recognized in Mesa Grande, Arizona; Sparks, Nevada; and Portola, California by railroad crews he had known in Dunsmuir.
Gary appreciated the many kindnesses shown him over the years, and he himself touched many lives. He will be missed.
Photo credit Jim Grant.