Richard Gary Minor

It is with great sadness that we share our loss of a beloved husband, daddy, granddaddy, and great-granddaddy. Richard Gary Minor, of Wake Forest, passed away in the early morning of July 7, 2022 after a short and courageous battle with lung cancer. His faith has been made sight!

He was born in Gary, Indiana on October 14, 1937. He grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia where he graduated from Warner Robins High School. After attending Middle Georgia College, he began his studies in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech. While attending Georgia Tech at night, Gary began working full-time at IBM. During this time he visited First Methodist Church in Atlanta. Gary’s very first Sunday there, he met Jane Ann Morris, whom he would marry, love, and cherish for the next 60 years.

Because Gary was a part-time student, he was drafted into the US Army on May 18, 1962. He took a military leave of absence from IBM, married Jane, and immediately after their wedding, moved to and spent two cold winters in Glenview, Illinois. They were blessed with their first child, David Richard, on November 11, 1964, and returned to Atlanta when he was seven months old. Their second child, Carol Diane, was born on Gary’s mom’s birthday, May 18, 1965. Gary resumed both night classes at Georgia Tech and his work at IBM as a field engineer. IBM then granted Gary a year-long educational leave of absence which enabled him to complete his Electrical Engineering degree in December of 1966. After graduation, Gary was assigned to the IBM facility in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. A year later, he was relocated to the 602 Building in Raleigh, where he and his family would settle. Their third child, Bruce Gary, was born on May 12, 1968. That same year, the family joined Millbrook United Methodist Church, where they are still members today. Millbrook UMC has been a source of deep friendships and spiritual growth for Gary and Jane. Through Millbrook UMC they created a tradition of attending Family Week at Camp Don Lee, a tradition that was later enjoyed with their grandchildren.

Gary loved his job; it was never work for him! He worked on the team that designed and implemented the Point of Sale cash register and UPC coding system that is still widely used today. He played as hard as he worked. In 1970, Gary bought a Tanzer 16 sailboat and would begin a lifelong love of being on the water. Gary was a self-taught sailor who brought Jane along for the adventure. They spent the next decade racing together in regattas with the Carolina Sailing Club on Kerr Lake. Through sailing and visiting Camp Don Lee, Gary and Jane discovered Oriental, NC where they would take on the project of building a home. Gary designed and supervised the project alongside a local builder. It was a long-term labor of love and resulted in the creation of a true safe haven and sanctuary for every family member.

Along with sailing, Gary had many other passions. Always ready to learn, Gary enjoyed photography and film development, building model airplanes and other woodworking projects, as well as becoming an expert on the care and keeping of many houseplants. Gary and Jane’s homes are full of beautiful pictures, thriving plants, and craftsman-quality furniture including a solid cherry wood dining room table and a solid walnut rocking chair. Gary also designed and crafted a seaworthy wood kayak without any screws or nails, an impressive feat that gave him and many others hours of enjoyment on the Neuse River in Oriental.

After retiring from IBM in 1992, Gary would begin his own consulting and software design company, Controlware. Some of his favorite projects included working with Techan, Square D, and Glaxo Smith Kline. Always wanting to be challenged, Gary also tackled a lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. At age 60, he earned his pilot’s license. He flew as much as he could for the next two years. Later, at age 82, Gary renewed his pilot’s license, just to prove he could!

While Gary had many hobbies and a penchant for learning, his greatest passion was his family. Jane was most often referred to as “Love”, and together they joyfully raised their three children.

 As grandchildren came along, Gary began to take the 5 local children on individual dates. One child would “take grandaddy out” each Tuesday night. Many happy hours were spent enjoying favorite meals together, checking out books at the library, strolling around Pullen Park, and ending the night with a McDonald’s apple pie. He was able to make memories with his two out-of-town children on Saturdays, monthly, where they often went to the park to play and follow with a treat! When the great-grandchildren came along, he was always the first to ask to hold the newborn. The great grands called him Granddaddy the Great! We all figured he was grand and great enough to warrant all those syllables!

He was predeceased by his parents, Chester Winfield Minor and Rose Evelyn Davis Minor, as well as a brother, Felix D. Minor.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jane Ann Morris Minor, who he loved more than life itself. He is survived by son, David Minor and wife Sanda of Pittsboro, NC, daughter, Carol Minor Potter and husband Stanley of Wake Forest, NC, and son, Bruce Minor and wife Heidi of Jamestown, NC. He was survived by his 7 grandchildren, Rachel Potter Mount (Tyler), Noelle Potter Bass (Bynum), Christianne Potter Moore (Daniel), William Stanley “Duke” Potter, IV (Stephanie), Hayes Richard Potter, Lane Nicholson Minor, and Carole Jane “CJ” Minor. He was survived by his 12 great-grandchildren, Leland, Grafton, Haddon and Juliet Mount, Rylea and Mahogani “Mae” Bass, Samuel, Selah, Story and Sophia Moore, Malachi and Dustin “DJ” Potter. He was also survived by his loving sister, Nola Minor McAdoo, of Summerfield, FL who helped care for Gary for the past 6 weeks, and her son, Shannon Settles (Mary), of Florida. He was also survived by two brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law, all of Georgia, and many nieces and nephews who knew how special he was.

Gary was an incredible gift from God with whom we had the privilege of sharing his life. May he fly the skies with Jesus in eternal bliss!!

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, July 12, at Millbrook United Methodist Church, with a reception to follow.

Donations may be made to Methodist Home for Children, 1041 Washington St., Raleigh, NC 27605 or Camp Don Lee, 315 Camp Don Lee Rd, Arapahoe, NC 28510.