Gary Fredrickson

Gary Robert Fredrickson, 68, of Marion died Friday, Jan. 3, in his home.

He was born Aug. 26, 1945, to Robert and Lucille (Hurt) Fredrickson in Minneapolis Minn., the second of three children.

He attended Hawthorne Heights High School in California and graduated in 1963.

After graduation, he enlisted into the United States Army from 1963 through 1965. He worked for a telephone and communication company for several years, installing underground and utility pole cables.

He married and had three children, named Dana, Heather, and Aaron.

After working part-time jobs in a bakery as a prep cook, he took a nature sabbatical for the next several years, camping and entertaining friends with fishing, cooking and enjoying life as it came on a daily basis.

He would continue to work odd jobs to support his lenient lifestyle.

In the year 2000 he became employed with the City of Marion as a groundskeeper and obtained the nickname “Hambone” for his expertise in cooking and would advise coworkers on how to properly barbecue any type of meat, including ham.

He retired in 2010 and moved into an apartment complex, where he made a new group of friends. It was not long before he was cooking and getting the residents to join him in what he called cookouts.

He is survived by his brother, John; children; grandchildren; nieces; nephews; great-nieces; and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert; mother, Lucille; sister, Lea; and one grandchild.