Gary Raymond Salmon, Chaplain (COL) Army Retired, USAR, 68, Joplin, Missouri; a wonderful and loving husband, father, and uncle passed away on Tuesday, February 27th, 2018 after a fight with liver cancer. He was born on February 5th, 1950 in Porterville, California to the late Raymond and Virginia (Templeton) Salmon. He was oldest of five children, his family moving around California. He went to three different high schools and received a General Education Development diploma (GED).
He met his future wife, Mary Jane (LeGrand) Salmon, at Ozark Christian College whom he later married on November 20th, 1976 in Shelbina, Missouri. After a short courtship with multiple proposals, they married and had one child Amber (Salmon) Price. Mary Jane survives Gary. He became a devout Christian in his 20’s and served as a protestant chaplain in multiple branches of the United States military and as pastor at Tunas Christian Church (Tunas, Missouri) and Church of Christ (Lennox, Oklahoma).
Gary worked many different jobs prior to enlisting in the Army and being deployed to Vietnam in April 1970. Shortly after returning from Vietnam (June 1971), he found Christianity and in 1974 enrolled at Ozark Christian College (Joplin, Missouri) to learn more about the faith. During this time, he found his passion of sharing his love for God and began his pursuit toward the Chaplaincy. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Sacred Literature from Ozark Christian College, he then pursued and completed a Master’s Degree of Divinity and a Master’s Degree of Arts in Biblical Studies from Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Cincinnati, Ohio). He spent the following two years (May 1982 – February 1984) serving as pastor of Tunas Christian Church (Tunas, Missouri). In February of 1984, Gary joined the United States Air Force as a Captain and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska serving a remote tour in Shemya, Alaska from June 1986 through June 1987. He was then transferred to George Air Force Base in Victorville, California where he achieved the rank of Major. During this time his only child, daughter Amber (Salmon) Price, was born in 1988. In June of 1990, he was transferred to England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana serving a tour in Saudi Arabia for 3 months spanning 1990 – 1991, after which he was honorably discharged from the Air Force. In 1993, he found his calling when he began serving as a chaplain for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Temple, Texas and joined the Texas National Guard serving as a Chaplain. In 1995, he earned a Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. After achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he joined the Army Reserves and was placed on Active Duty from January
2002 – June 2004. After this period in the Army Reserves, he rejoined the Active Duty Army as a Chaplain from 2004 – 2007. He retired from the Army as a full bird Colonel in 2007.
After retiring, one of Gary’s favorite things to do was spend time with his daughter. In 2007, Gary moved with his wife, Mary Jane, from Temple, Texas to Joplin, Missouri to be close to their daughter Amber (Salmon) Price. In retirement, he earned a substitute-teaching certificate and spent time in China teaching English. From January – May 2013 he served as pastor for Church of Christ in Lennox, Oklahoma commuting from Joplin, Missouri. He spent the rest of his life in Joplin living generously, frequently giving to family and friends, and exemplifying the phrase, “no one is a stranger.”
Gary is survived by his wife who loved him so, Mary Jane (LeGrand) Salmon, Joplin, MO; one daughter who adored him, Amber (Salmon) Price (husband, Michael Price), Omaha, NE; three brothers, Gayle Salmon, Boise, ID; Scott Salmon and wife Bev, Seligman, MO; Stacey Salmon and wife Cindy, Joplin, MO; one sister, Shelley (Salmon) Russow, Joplin, MO. His family included many other members and an abundance of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Virginia Salmon.
Although Gary will be missed by so many, we are comforted in knowing that he found peace and glory in heaven with the Lord.
Funeral services for Dr. Salmon are 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2018, in the chapel of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary with Keith Egermeier and Jesse Russow officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. until the service begins. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Gary’s memory to Rapha House. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary, Joplin, Missouri.
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