Gary Wayne Felts, an Alaskan resident of 53 years, died Jan. 13, 2025, at home with his family in Palmer, Alaska, at the age of 80.
Gary was born July 16, 1944, in Mount Airy, N.C. He was the son of William Friel and Ila Marie Felts. He lived on the family dairy farm in Woodlawn, Va., until he enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 21.
Gary attended boot camp at 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade USATC Fort Bragg, N.C. After training, he served two years in Vietnam with the 5th Infantry Division before receiving an honorable discharge. He returned to Virginia and worked in the Galax Police Department for three years.
In 1970, the itch for Alaskan adventures and hunting drove him to Juneau, where he resided for the next 34 years. Gary worked as a correctional officer at Southeast Regional Correction Center for one year before taking a position with Alaska Electric Light & Power. For 12 years, he was a powerhouse operator, working and living at the remote hydroelectric stations of Annex Creek and Upper Salmon, located up the Taku Inlet.
On June 20, 1981, Gary married Karen Tetzlaff in Juneau. They spent their first nine years of marriage at Annex Creek before moving to Juneau in 1990. There, Gary worked in the meter department until his retirement in 2002 with 26 years of service.
Gary moved his family, including his daughter’s adopted 30-year-old hackney pony, to Palmer in 2004 to get out of the rainforest. He was a dedicated husband and grandpa, enjoying time spent with his family. He also enjoyed numerous Dahl sheep hunts in the Wrangle Mountains, black bear hunting in Southeast Alaska, horse wrangling in the Brooks Range, and handling his own small horse herd in his backyard in Palmer.
Gary had a passion for reading history and hunting stories, and keeping up with the latest firearms reports and current events. He was a lifetime member of the NRA.
Gary leaves behind his wife of 42 years, Karen; son, Brandon Felts; grandson, Jackson; and granddaughter, Grace, of Juneau; daughter, Gina Felts (Tom Simpson) and grandsons Evan and Ronan of Wasilla, Alaska; and numerous nieces and nephews in Virginia and Alaska.
A celebration of Gary’s life and burial will be held in July of 2026 at Oakland United Methodist Church in Galax, Va.