Gary Tanner

'My heart's broken; if I feel this way my heart must be broken." From The Complete Short Stories, Ernest Hemmingway.

Gary Lynn Tanner, beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, and Captain passed away today. He lived life to the fullest, and extrapolated every bit of goodness and richness he could extract from his time on earth in his fifty-eight years among us. As the Captain and owner of his Fishing Vessel Shadow, he experienced Mother Nature at her finest and at her most challenging... .and he was successful. Gary truly enjoyed the outdoors; he was a skilled abalone diver, excellent pheasant hunter, and avid big game hunter in the fall. He would also fish in his time off and was an accomplished fly fisherman, especially where steelhead are concerned - those who knew him often thought he could find a fish in a mud puddle if a fish was present. The 'Steelies" remained the sport fishery dearest to his heart, and he most often released them after admiring Mother Nature's wonders.
Gary is survived by his wife Petra, daughter Tammy, stepson Michael, son-in-law Rodney, grandchildren Billie and Damon, his brothers Bill, James, and Ray, his sisters Joanne and Gloria, his sisters-in-law Patty, Mandy, and Debbie, his multitude of nieces and nephews, the West Coast Fishing Fleet, his hunting dog Seppi, and mallard Louis.
'Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details at how he lived and how he died that distinguishes one man from another.' From The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemmingway
Gary fought cancer with a voracity known to the fishing community; commercial fishermen never give up. His determination and will to live was astonishing to the medical community, inspiring to his friends, and a blessing to his family. He will be sorely missed- leaving a void that will not be filled; for his was a truly unique enrichment he brought to the lives he touched. His teachings will remain, his zest for life will continue to inspire, his sense of humor remembered; but he can never be replaced. The mold was broken after God made him. We lost a great man today.
"Life lives on the edge of the forest, the edges of the field, and the edges in the creeks and rivers... ..and at the temperature breaks in the ocean." Gary Lynn Tanner, 1997

Graveside funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 11:00 AM at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park, 127 Hecker Pass Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076
Arrangements by Patrick and Debra Molina Carroll.