Gary Lee Zeller lived 72 years, 7 months, and 14 days.

He was born to Raymond and Betty (Le Compte) Zeller on October 25, 1949, in Mobridge, SD.  Gary died June 8, 2022, at Ft. Meade Medical Center in Sturgis, SD. He was the first-born son and was welcomed home by his big sister and best friend, Millie.  Gary was a Vietnam veteran and a member of the Parker-Browder Post 4 American Legion in Mobridge.

In 1971 he married Kathryn Myhre and to this union two children were born. They later divorced in 1978.

Gary wore many hats during his lifetime; commercial fisherman, rancher, trapper, logger, house painter, and OTR truck driver.  The latter he was most comfortable with, and he drove for over 30 years for mostly East River Lumber and Grain. Long hours on the open road alone seemed to suit him. He was a stickler for properly tying down loads and taught many how to use chain booms and roll a strap back up correctly. Gary started like most drivers hauling livestock, but the majority of his career he was a flatbed driver. He hauled lumber, bees, pipe and everything in between. Towards the end of his career, he pulled an RGN and a telescopic trailer that hauled wind turbine blades into Canada.  He was a lifetime member of OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association).

In December of 2011, he retired to the Bunk House on his son-in-law's place in rural Cherry County, Nebraska. Gary helped out around the place when he could, in the hay field, cutting posts on the river with Ben, feeding cows, fencing or making a meal just to shorten a long day for his daughter, until his health wouldn't let him. He enjoyed hunting and teaching his grandkids how to hunt.  His favorite part of hunting was processing the meat. He had a secret ring sausage recipe (given to him by his cousin, Fuzzy) he kept close; he just recently passed it on. Gary liked to cook, his specialties were goulash, Spanish rice, chili, cabbage rolls, and kraut and sausage on mashed potatoes.  Gary passed his time standing on the Bunk House porch smoking a Pall Mall and watching the chickens scratch and later watching and visiting with PWe while she was playing on the swing set or in the sandbox (after she got her snack, of course).  He was an avid Budweiser drinker, and liked to say "there was a steak in every bottle and a porkchop in every can".  Sundays were usually the day he made or received calls from far away family members and lifelong friends.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents; his nephew, Boyd; brother, Big Z; beloved sister, Millie; and brother, Gigs.  He is survived by his youngest brother, Jason, Auburn, WA; his daughter and son-in-law, Krista and Ben Wegner, rural Cherry County, NE; his son, Justin Zeller, Council Bluffs, IA; grandchildren; Benjamin, Joshua (Erin), and Stella Wegner, and Brandon Koch-Zeller; one great-granddaughter, Paisley; nieces, Laura, Elaine, and Amber; nephews, Cody and Christopher; numerous cousins and extended family and friends.

Gary's ashes will be buried and his headstone will be set in rural Cherry County, Nebraska as per his last wishes.