Kyle Hooper

The news of Gary passing saddened Terree and me. We were blessed to have him as a friend.  I was lucky to have continued our friendship after high school while living in Dallas, and when we moved back to Tulsa from Dallas. He was one of those friends who, no matter how much time had passed since you last saw him, you picked right back up where you left off. Great memories and fun times.  Terree and I have a stained glass coat hanger he made that still hangs on our wall as we enter from the garage. We will miss him and are glad we have something to always remember him by, like we could ever forget him. 

Valerie Wages (Wilds)

So very sad to hear this about Gary.  I have many great memories of him that always make me smile.

Rest peacefully Gary, we will miss you.

Craig Willis

This picture from the Malibu Younglife trip pretty much says it all, Koz was up for anything, anytime, anywhere....anybody else remember his superhuman bear crawl down the stadium steps?  World's a little dimmer without you in it.  Godspeed to you my friend...

Mike Zygmunt

I certainly remember Craig, it was spring football conditioning hosted by the always pleasant Coach Eddy. It was never known what form of misery the taskmaster would invent to make our lives a bit more despairing.

On this particular afternoon Coach thought it would be a good idea to have us all ascend to the top of Memorial Stadium. He then uttered the command that still haunts me to this day, bear crawl down the perilous steps.

At first, most involved questioned if that was even possible? Gary happened to be next to me and was one of the first to assume the highly awkward all four position that tilted us towards our deaths.

As I was carefully maneuvering the obstacle moving the speed of an arthritic tortoise sure my face would soon be broken Gary was flying down the steps like a fearless thundering Rhino.

I'm pretty confident Gary carried this enthusiastic mindset into adulthood. Yes this courageous attitude was admirable but even more appreciated was Gary's ability to engineer a smile before a conversation even began, possessing such positive energy putting everyone at ease.

Rest in peace Gary.

Heidi Olsen (Anderson)

I got to know Gary more from Facebook than from years of being at the same school.  I always enjoyed seeing his posts and our classmates posts about and with him. He was so funny, had so much creative talent and was such a great friend to so many of you. Now he is off to his next great adventure. Seeing all of the Facebook posts and messages here about him is such a wonderful testimony to a life well lived. 

Chris Burns (Reiss)

I think Lisa Neafus' rendition of Gary's arrival at Thoreau Jr High is perfect - we were all awestruck by this exotic guy from California! Gary quickly became one of my favorite people (and just about everyone else's, as well). About five or six years after high school, both Gary and I were living in Dallas and I talked him into building an addition onto my first house. There were no plans (and likely no permit - yikes!) - Gary and I just made some sketches on a piece of paper, and with his amazing talent he built a beautiful room that is still one of the best spaces I have ever owned. The gorgeous and intricate trimwork he installed started my lifelong obsession with architectural detail, and It was an early indication of his incredible artistic eye. He was just so competent and talented at anything he put his mind to accomplishing. During that time, Gary and I made a pact that if neither of us were married by the date of our tenth high school reunion, that we would marry each other. Turns out we were both married by that date, but I always appreciated how sweet and funny he was to make that "promise" to me :-). I am so saddened by his early passing, but I am so grateful that I had him in my life for the years that I did. I am sure that heaven is a lot more fun, now that Gary has joined its ranks.

Kevin Wood

Hard to believe he is gone. I knew Koester from hanging in the front hallway at Memorial before school started. He was a goof off and always had a smile or a joke or a wild story. A crazed maniac on the football field. 
Later we became friends at the Riverfests and he showed his softer side, telling me about his kids and we shared fishing stories and we all knew him as the guy on FB who wrote in all caps  ( on purpose)  I took a liking to his furniture he'd handcrafted out of old pianos and bought a couple of shelves and then we discussed a desk and he made me a perfect one I use now and will cherish forever   
He wasn't perfect nor polished but he was Koester/ GaryBob and we all knew he was capable of making you laugh or smile but also had a serious conversation with and he would be there for you   
I will miss you man. Save some fish for me  

Blythe Barfield (Waugh)

I went on that Young Life trip also which was great fun.  Gary and I reconnected after he moved back to care for his dad.  I would stop by his house now and then to find him working on a spectacular wood piece of some kind.  One raining day we went to the school that Tamra Bird was principal of and kind stormed into the office to tell her to come to the high school reunion that year.  I'm sure she was embarassed to talk her secretary e were people she went to school with.  Gary was always the life of ant gathering he went to.  Eddie, Gary and I would get people together now and again for dinner.  Gary would have salad with no less than 4 servings of Ranch dressing!  Parties at the woodshed were always a fun time too.  Gary dressed as Santa one year.  In 2010 when we were turning 50, Christy Boan had a small party.  Eddie, Gary, Laura Russell, Randy Roberts and maybe a few others beside myself were there.  Gary came with a mustache.  Later in the evening, he came out of the bathroom and asked if we noticed anything different about him.  If I remember correctly, we did not.  So he proceeded to take us into the bathroom.  On the toilet seat was a mess of facial hair!!  Oh my gosh it looked like a mouse!  Of course he and Eddie couldn't stop laughing.  The best memories are the weekends for 4 years that we spent at Riverfest.  This was with anywhere from 25-35 of our Charger classmates.  Some of these people I hardly new in high school but they were weekends I will cherish forever.  Gary was a true friend, lived life to the fullest and lived his friends fiercely!  I consider myself very lucky and feel very fortunate to have had this special person in my life as a close friend.  I will miss him greatly!  He truly was one of a kind!  I love you and will see you again.

Mark Stuart

I dont know how many people recall swimming in the quarry near school but Gary and I went there once. We jumped in and swam around. To get out you had to climb some fairly steep rocks...when we climbed up there were about 20 bikers (I mean sterotypical hollywood Hell's Angels) and right in front of us was a "pile" of weed a foot high and 10 feet in diameter (literally). Gary was a big guy and I was 210 or so at the time - we both thought we were going to get killed. We literally jump over the weed and ran to his car - we laughed the entire way home... RIP ole pal. 

Mark Winslow

I saw on FB Gary passed away.  Like all who had the privilege to have known him, I was hit with much saddness.  My first memory of Gary was an encounter on my paperroute.  I think in the summer before 7th or 8th grade in the 70s.  His family has just moved into their home a few days prior..., E. 57th Street in Kirkdale.  I remember they were from California and they were ALL SO COOL, especially compared to this lil hick of a boy.

I stopped on my route that day to talk to him and his parents.  Of course I was trying to sell them a subscription to the Tulsa Tribune and Sunday World paper, lol.  I was a good little dork of a salesman, riding my sister's bike that was so large friends called it "Mama JacKa".  My feet barely could reach the peddles.  I might have flipped over the handle bars a few times on that route because I had +125 papers, a few times on his street I'm sure.

I think Gary told me he had a brother that played college football, (Texas A&M???).  They invited me in and showed me some family pics and stuff.  Again, way to cool for me, I knew I was out of my league with Gary.  I always thought of him as a John Wayne type figure.

Recall riding in Gary's car after he got his license.  He was caught behind another fellow HS person we knew who was driving very, very slow and super cautious.  After awhile, Gary couldn't take it anymore.  He blurted out, "A Koester is NEVER going to drive behind a  ________", (name withheld to protect the innocent)" and floored the accelerator and we flew past them.  Not sure why I recall that...lol, but Gary had a super competitive spirit and was stronger than most men his age.

Good Bless You Gary, You Will Always Be Remembered and Loved!