Gary R. Hathaway

Gary R. Hathaway, age 70, of Ulysses, Kansas died Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at Via Christi Regional Medical Center – St. Francis Campus in Wichita, Kansas. He was born July 5, 1942 in Liberal, Kansas, the son of Addison E. and Helen M. (Nix) Hathaway.

Gary grew up in Hugoton and Garden City, and was active in Boy Scouts. During his teen years, he was a member of the Mandan Indian Dancers. They wore hand crafted costumes and headdresses and performed locally. Gary achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in a 1958 campfire ceremony at the Cimarron River. He worked for his father at their Culligan Water Softener business. He graduated from Hugoton High School in 1960 having participated in football and school plays. In 1964, he graduated from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas with a B.A. in Business. He was a member of the student council, Campus Y, Phi Beta Lambda business club, and Pi Epsilon Pi social club. Following his graduation he worked for two years at the Johnson State Bank in Johnson, Kansas. He then attended Washburn Law School in Topeka, Kansas receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1969. Gary established his law practice in Ulysses, Kansas in 1970. He has served as Grant County Attorney and Ulysses City Attorney. He was admitted to the Kansas Supreme Court in 1969, U.S. District Court of Kansas in 1969, U.S. Supreme Court in 1978, and the tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1979. He has been a member of the Kansas Bar Association, Southwest Kansas Bar Association and Kansas Trial Lawyers Association. He was active in the Kiwanis organization serving as Lt. Governor from 1994-95. Gary was a member of the Dexter D. Harbour American Legion Post #79. He was one of the founders and served as president of the High Plains Public Radio Station, KANZ. He handled family farming, business rentals and owned and operated Oxair Elk Ranch in rural Grant County. Gary was a member of the Ulysses United Methodist Church having served on its administrative board, finance committee, served as a lay member to Annual Conference, and was a past member of the Pension Endowment Fund of the Kansas West Conference.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sonja (Brewer) Hathaway of the home; two brothers, Kenneth Hathaway of Winfield, Kansas, Doyle Hathaway of Wichita, Kansas; many nieces, nephews and their children.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral service will be held Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 2:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church in Ulysses, Kansas with Reverend Janet Hernandez officiating. Interment will follow at the Ulysses Cemetery with Dexter D. Harbour American Legion Post #79 conducting military rites. Friends may call Friday, October 19, 2012 from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses with family present from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Memorial contributions may be given to the First United Methodist Church in Ulysses or the Boy Scouts of America Santa Fe Trail Council in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880.