Gary Conklin, 70, of Weston, Ohio, loving husband, devoted father and grandfather, died June 1, 2017, near Bowling Green, Ohio.
Established in 1868, Gary was the 5th generation of Conklins to dedicate his life to working Plane View Farms. Sharing the love of his parents to take to the sky, Gary was an avid small plane pilot and the family farm had it’s own hanger, runway, and fleet of aircraft ranging from fabric taildraggers he rebuilt by hand with his father to Cessnas used to travel the county.
He was fiercely committed to family and driven to work. He could build, craft, machine, weld and fix anything. He embodied the Farmer’s Creed – that through hard work and honest sweat, giving more to the world than you will ever take is an honor that does not come to most men.
Gary graduated from The Ohio State University with degrees in Agriculture and Aviation, was a past Ohio President of International Flying Farmers of America, a member of AOPA and many other flying and farming groups.
He was born May 12, 1947 to Roger and Bernice (Edwards) Conklin and was a 1965 graduate of Bowling Green Senior High School. On August 24, 1990, he married Ann (Hruska) on the Conklin family farm. Gary and Ann are members of the Lutheran Church of the Master in Perrysburg.
Mr. Conklin is survived by his wife Ann Conklin, his daughters Sacha (Patrick) Crowley of Lansing, Michigan, and Bridgette (Tom) Dempsey of Cleveland, his grandchildren Kiera and Sean Crowley and Adam Dempsey and his sister Colleen Braun of Alberta, Canada.
Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Monday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Lutheran Church of the Master, 28744 Simmons Rd. Perrysburg, Ohio. A Celebration of Gary’s Life will follow at 12 at the church. A luncheon will be served at the church following the service. Memorials in his honor may be made to the Wood County 4H Committee, Gary W. Conklin Memorial, 639 S. Dunbridge Rd., Suite #1, Bowling Green, Ohio, 43402, in support of youth in agriculture or the Church Memorial Fund.
