Gary Paul Drugley

Col. Gary P. Drugley reached his last duty station in Heaven this week. Born to Arnold Drugley and the former Ruth Florence, Gary grew up with his sisters Arnetta and Brenda in Irene, South Dakota. Col. Drugley attended Augustana University on a wrestling scholarship. After graduating with a degree in Finance, and a brief and under stimulating stint at a local bank he decided to “Join The Army and See The World”

With The Vietnam War raging, Gary enlisted in The United States Army before they had the chance to draft him. His life and career turned on the advice of a sergeant who told him he “needed to become an officer, because [he] would never make it as an enlisted soldier due to his big mouth.” Everyone who knew him can attest to the fact that he never pulled his verbal punches, and you always knew where you stood.

He attended OCS and was stationed at Ft. Carson as a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant, where he met his first wife Cindy after being set up on a blind date. They married six months later in 1970. The Army would take them across the United States and Europe, and soon their family grew to include three boys: Robert (b. 1976), Scott (b. 1978) and Brett (b. 1981). Stints in Vilseck, West Germany, Ft. Carson, Colorado, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Maryland, Carlisle Pennsylvania, and Schinnen, Netherlands followed, as did promotions and commands. After attaining the rank of Full Colonel and assignment as Base Commander in The Netherlands, his final duty station was FORSCOM, then located in Atlanta, Georgia – which brought The Drugley Family to Peachtree City, GA.

Gary and Cindy divorced in 1995, and he moved to Killeen, TX to work as a defense contractor with the United States government. There he met the former Susan Bautusa and they would marry in 1999. Life brought Gary and Susan to Louisville, KY in retirement where they lived a fun and adventurous life together.

He is preceded in death by parents Arnold and Ruth, and son Brett who died tragically of cancer last year.

He is survived by his wife Susan, sons Robert and Scott (Amanda) and grandchildren Lexi, Jackson, Mason, Scarlett, Ryan, Tatum, and Brooks, stepchildren Bonnie Stevenson and Clayton Baines, and one Great Granddaughter Carsyn Millican.

Gary will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, where he will remain for eternity.

Any donations in his memory should be made to the Wounded Warrior Project as Gary was passionate about supporting injured veterans.