Gary Claude Jenkins

Gary Claude Jenkins, was born in San Antonio, Texas to Claude Bright Jenkins and Cecilia Ruth (Frye) Jenkins May 4, 1937. Gary graduated from Poe Junior High (1952) (his favorite school) and Brackenridge High School (1955) in San Antonio. Gary married Norma Faye Pyles in San Antonio, Texas April 2, 1962. He is survived by wife “Faye” and sons Alan Barrett Jenkins (Angie) and Stuart Michael (Jennifer) Jenkins and five wonderful grandchildren, Cole, Sierra, Juliannah, Madeline, and Samatha. Gary was very proud of the many accomplishments of his 2 sons, grandchildren, and wife, Faye!

One month after graduation from high school he entered the United States Air Force for four years where he received training as a Radio Traffic Analyst at United States Security Service Headquarters at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio and at NSA Headquarters in the Washington, D.C. area. He was then deployed to Japan and then Okinawa. He returned to San Antonio where he started his career in Sales. First, about a year of Inside Sales with Sherwin-Williams Paint Company, then 3 ½ years with Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and finally with Carnrick Laboratories, a small privately owned pharmaceutical company. After excellent sales results, and 4 ½ years, he rose to Regional Sales Manager in the Midwest based in Indianapolis from 1968. Although still considering himself a Texan, he eventually learned to love his adopted Hoosier state, The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Auto Racing. Both sons drove Racing Karts and Alan continued to do so as an adult. Both Gary and his sons enjoyed Motorcycle riding.

He continued personally calling on doctors in the Central Indiana Area in addition to his management duties until 1998 when Elan Pharmaceuticals purchased Carnrick. He remained in management with Elan and for the last 6 months of his 40 years in Pharmaceuticals with King Pharmaceuticals (purchaser of Elan Primary Care) before retiring January 2, 2004. Gary had his office at home filled with more than 30 plaques for Outstanding Sales Results for his Region, mostly the North Central Region, although he managed a number of different areas at various times all over the USA. He was very proud of his accomplishments and also of the great relationships formed with many customers and so many of the great Sales People he hired and trained. After retirement in 2004 Gary wrote a book about his 40 years in the Pharmaceutical business for his former associates and friends. Gary especially enjoyed the opportunities to travel the country and world and the many wonderful meeting resorts visited in his career.

In 2005 Faye, who played Saxophone in 3 different bands got Gary into a new musical career/hobby with one of her band leaders. In the fall of 2005 Gary, a tenor vocalist started performing with Zionsville Concert Band Leader, John Richardson as his pianist. They formed a duo named “Frozen In Time” and entertained mostly at Senior Retirement and a number of other venues around Indy for about six years (2005-2011), with a high of 22 performances for Gary in 2009. He very much appreciated his association with Oasis & The Indianapolis Senior Center as vocalist, choral director and American Popular Music instructor. Gary loved classical, popular and country music and performed hundreds of pop and a few country/pop songs over the years. He was a member of The Republican Party, The Pike Township Republican Club, The Zionsville Concert Band, The Harmonie Opera Club, The Indianapolis Senior Center, Oasis, Taste of Pike, and many Conservative Political Action Committees. He thanks The Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of his many sins and hopes that the God of The Universe allows his beloved America to again be a free nation as our Founders envisioned. Gary was definitely an active Americanist and hoped that freedom would be enjoyed by his children and grand children and succeeding generations.

A Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 18, from 1 pm to 2 pm, with a Memorial Service to follow at 2 pm, at Flanner Buchanan – Broad Ripple, 1305 E. Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220.