Gary Leon Hensley

Gary Leon Hensley, 67, of Las Vegas, NV, passed away August 16, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV.

Viewing and Visitation

Friday, August 22, 2014

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Funeral Service

Saturday, August 23, 2014

11:00 AM

Johnson Funeral Chapel

Gary Hensley was born June 7th, 1947 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Bernard Dice Hensley (d.1997) and Mary Jean Hampton Hensley. His family resided in the Tulsa area throughout Gary's early years. During high school, Gary played on the basketball, baseball, and football teams and was in the science club. He always remained a football fan, and loved to tell stories of his days playing football for the Skiatook High School Bulldogs. It was well known to all who knew Gary that he enjoyed recounting tales of those games wearing leather helmets, losing to every rival, and asking the coach if the team could just go home at the end of the first quarter.

He started college at Tulsa State University, and after two years, transferred to Northeastern State University where he received his Accounting Degree in 1970. Although the FBI wanted to draft him out of college to do accounting, he graciously declined as he knew that accounting was not the path he wanted for a lifetime career. Goodyear hired Gary straight out of college, where he built a very successful store location for them. He was always willing to go above and beyond in helping a customer and as a result was able to gain a contract with the Highway Patrol, where he enjoyed working on cars and supervising mechanics.

Gary's entrepreneurial spirit led him to re-invent himself a few times. For a time he ran Jeep rental outfit, the first rental service renting Jeeps to tourists in Aspen, Colorado. There he handled high profile clients and Hollywood celebrities, but always kept his head about him knowing that, "We all put our pants on the same way, one leg at a time,". Gary also sold insurance, had a door installation and repair company, and finally he branched out into technology while living in Berthoud, Colorado. He started his most recent enterprise in 2002, Omega West Corporation, as a data network design, installation, and maintenance company. Doing business all over the country, Gary and his wife, Sonia, settled in Las Vegas in 2006, where he could serve the many tech companies located in both California and Las Vegas.

Always the avid outdoorsman, Gary was happiest out in the fresh air, whether driving a 4-wheeler in the mud, riding his beloved horse, JJ, into the mountains of Colorado, or just sitting quietly at a lookout, enjoying the solitude of the natural world. He remained faithful to his love of old cars, football and NASCAR. He had a special place in his heart for each and every one of his pet dogs, and always cared for creatures that were most in need.

Gary is survived by his wife, Sonia of Las Vegas, his mother, Mary Jean Hensley of Disney, Oklahoma, and his brother Jerry Lee of Louisiana. He was loved by his stepchildren, Anthony Pecora, and his fiancé Anastasia Olynyk, Steven Pecora and his wife Sara, and Lorraine Johnson, her husband Todd, and their two daughters. He is also survived by his daughter, Megan Rae of Roseville, California. Gary will also be missed by his four pawed family: Katie, Melvin, Spot, Caleb and Claude.