Gary Michael Simon, age 77, of Hollister, Missouri.

Gary Michael Simon, age 77, of Hollister, Missouri, passed away on October 26, 2024. He was born on February 26, 1947, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, to George and Rita (Logsdon) Simon, who preceded him in death. On December 25, 2018, Gary married Deanna Long.

A proud veteran, Gary served in the United States Air Force. Known for his remarkable intellect, he became a successful entrepreneur and a respected CPA, serving as a role model to many. Gary was generous and loving, always willing to help others; he would give you the shirt off his back. To his family and friends, he was truly the best man in the world. In his lifetime, he authored a book titled Wow—That Was Fast.

Gary’s family treasured the memories he created with them, his daughter Stacy remembers, “As a child when I’d be at his house, we would always get Pizza Hut thin crust hamburger pizza and sit on the couch for hours listening and singing along to Kenny Roger’s songs…especially one of my favorites still today, The Gambler. We also shared a passion for reading and sweets, so our weekends always included a trip to the bookstore and candy store. He’d always make sure I had the latest books in whatever series I was reading and my favorite candies to snack on… which I shared with him of course. I will always cherish the memories of the times we got to spend together.”

Gary is survived by his beloved wife of five years, Deanna Simon; daughter, Stacy (Trevor) Ratzlaff; son, Gary (Mathria) Nelson; sisters: Cynthia (Terry) Taylor and Sandra (Larry) Engel; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2024, followed by a funeral service at 1:00 p.m. at Cremations of the Ozarks, 115 Industrial Park Dr., Hollister, Missouri. A graveside burial with full military honors will take place at 2:00 p.m. at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, 1638 E. State Highway 76, Branson, Missouri.

Arrangements and services are under the direction of Cremations of the Ozarks. To leave an online condolence or share a memory, please visit www.cremationsoftheozarks.com.