Gary Jon Bauknecht of Lady Lake, Florida, former Saginaw resident, passed away peacefully Sunday, November 27, 2016 at Cornerstone Hospice in the Villages, Florida following a brief illness. He was surrounded by his loving family. The son of the late Winfred (Pete) and Neljane (Richter) Bauknecht, Gary was born June 14, 1939 (Flag Day) in Saginaw, Michigan. Gary graduated from Saginaw High School in 1957 where he was a member of the swim team and served on the reunion committee for over 50 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force at Beale AFB, California and Nouasseur AFB, Morocco; was Water Front Safety Director on the Mediterranean and 1961 backstroke champion of Armed Forces in Europe. He was a proud member of the American Legion Post in Lady Lake, Florida and an adamant supporter of veterans. He had a deep empathy for those who have fought and sacrificed for freedom. Gary volunteered as diving coach at the YMCA in Saginaw and was a mentor to many youngsters in swimming and water skiing. He later moved to Charlevoix, Michigan and wintered in Indian Wells, California. Gary married the former Marilyn Jean Gawron in 1963 in Saginaw, Michigan. She survives him. He founded, owned and operated Valley Glass Company in Saginaw from 1980 until 2011. Gary was formerly employed by Saginaw Glass Company and United Glass Company. Gary was a member of the National Glass Dealers Association (NGA), Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Home Builders Association (HBA), Saginaw Club, Fordney Club, Thomas Township Volunteer Fire Department, Bintz Apple Mountain National Ski Patrol, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), having built two experimental airplanes. Gary was a member of St. Timothy Catholic Community; Harbor Hills Country Club, Lady Lake, Florida; a former member of Desert Horizons Country Club, Indian Wells, California; Rancho Las Palmas Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California; Charlevoix Country Club, Charlevoix, Michigan and Maple Hill Golf Club in Hemlock, Michigan. Gary made his family his priority. He was a big brother to everyone. Gary loved swimming, boating, golfing, skiing, traveling and cars. His ongoing advice to everyone was “Wherever you go, there you are”. Surviving beside his wife Marilyn are one son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Angela Bauknecht, Norman, Oklahoma; a sister, Penny (Rodney) Lapan, Saginaw; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Walter and Susan Gawron, Canton, Ohio; Duane and Margo Gawron, Lady Lake, Florida; Barbara Lynn, Lady Lake, Florida; Many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and dear friends. Gary was preceded in death by a brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Virginia Bauknecht and brother-in-law, Richard Lynn, and by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Walter and Helen Gawron. Honoring Gary’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A Memorial Service will take place 10 a.m. Monday, December 5, 2016 at Beyers Funeral Home, Lady Lake, Florida, 32159, (352) 753-4444. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Monday until time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warriors Project, Groovy Paws Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 313, Norman, Oklahoma, 73070 or Cornerstone Hospice of Lake County. An interment Service and gathering will take place at a later date in Saginaw, Michigan and interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Snow Funeral Home, 3775 N. Center Road, Saginaw, Michigan, (989) 791-4515.