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It is with deep profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gary Egbert. He died peacefully in St. Albert at the Sturgeon Hospital on May 19, 2022 as the result of post-COVID complications.
Gary will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by his daughters, Jan (Wayne) Regehr and Michelle (Tige) Dedels; stepdaughters, Tamra Stretch and Marnie Stretch; stepson, Bob (Theresa) Stretch; grandchildren, Sean Regehr, Ryan Regehr, Jenn (Kyle) Regehr, Jessie Dedels, Amy Dedels (expecting), Zack (Nicole) O’Geil, Kendall (Caleb) Gorrell, Luke O’Geil, Gabriel Jorand, Rob Stretch, Andrew Stretch, Matthew Stretch and Logan Stretch; great grandchildren, Phoenix Dedels, baby Dedels due June 20, and Brinna Gorrell; brothers, Mark (Helen) Egbert and Steve (Verda) Egbert.
Gary is predeceased by his parents, Chris and Jack Egbert, and his loving wife Helen of 34 years.
Gary was born in Calgary. He and his family moved several times to various locations each for two to three years including Wainwright, Grand Prairie, Wetaskiwin, Red Deer, and Edmonton. By age 15 Gary developed a passion for cars and this interest became an integral part of his life and future career. He started building cars in his early teens, and, while still in high school at St. Mary’s, he built his first car, a 34 Ford Coach which he chopped in the industrial shop. He later owned a 40 Ford Coup with a flat head and flames, which was known to be the first flame job in Edmonton. It was not long before word got around about Gary’s talents and he was soon doing regular engine swaps and body work out of a garage he and his brother built behind his dad’s house. He then apprenticed as a body man with Hood Motors (later to become Don Wheaton Motors). Shortly after Gary attended SAIT to obtain an auto body mechanic ticket, he began working as an auto body mechanic at South Park Automotive Shop. After working in the business for a few years, Gary decided he wanted to race cars. Around the time that his racing started to take off, he married and had two daughters, Jan and Michelle. While raising a young family, and working full time, Gary would work long into the evenings on his race cars. Through hard work, dedication, and a great crew, he became known as one of the top 10 AA fuel car racers in Canada, where he was the Canadian record holder for many years.
Gary met Helen and they married. They deeply valued family and friends both old and new, and enjoyed raising their families together, and planning and overseeing the construction of their new house in St. Albert. Gary designed the beautiful back yard which was well used, as hospitality was also important to them. They loved people and enjoyed time with family and good friends. Gary & Helen also enjoyed traveling.
In 1978, Gary began working as manager of the auto body department at Ron Hodgson dealership in St. Albert, where he also helped plan and build a new state of the art body shop. Gary retired from Ron Hodgson in 1992 and opened his own specialty shop, Egbert’s Street Rods and Collector Cars. The shop built many beautiful and spectacular prize-winning show cars. Gary retired from his business in 2014. In 2020 Gary was honored as an inductee into the Western Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Other than loving people, and having a passion for building, racing, and restoring cars, Gary also had a passion for animals, nature, and photography. Gary and Helen enjoyed going out to the country where they would take pictures of old barns, farmhouses, antiques, and animals. Over the years they took in many cats and donated to a variety of animal causes. As such, memorial donations may be made to Zoe’s Animal Rescue at the following website: www.zoesanimalrescue.org/
We invite you to join us for a memorial service on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at Connelly-McKinley St. Albert Funeral Home, 9 Muir Drive, St. Albert
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Gary Egbert 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Edmonton, Province: Alberta