Gary L. McMillon

Gary Lynn McMillon, age 69, of Battle Creek passed away while receiving care at Laurels of Bedford on Friday, June 21, 2024, after being diagnosed with dementia in March 2024. He was born in Battle Creek, Michigan to John David and Nellie (Etherton) McMillon. Gary was born on his mother's 34th birthday, April 6, 1955. He lived in Battle Creek his entire life and graduated from Harper Creek High School in 1973. Gary first worked for his father's construction business, but eventually he would start his own business Gary McMillon Construction on June 1, 1973, and it served the Battle Creek area for almost 51 years. Gary loved what he did; running equipment, moving dirt, and building things. He bulldozed and added to the original track for Battle Creek Motorcycle Club in the 1980s, and helped build up the original courses for Excalibur Paintball, including giving a few of his pieces of equipment and trucks that still make up the course today. Gary also helped build Parks Canoe Livery which was originally at the corner of G Drive North and 9 Mile road.  Gary was an avid composter, he loved improving his compost that he would use at job sites, and he loved chopping wood for his fireplace in the wintertime. His true passions however were hunting with his friend and former brother-in-law, Rick Ehrhardt, and he loved riding motorcycles and spending time with his childhood and lifelong friend, John Shafer. Gary married his wife Dawn (Nelson) on May 1, 1976, after dancing with her at Yancy's bar and meeting for the first time. They went on to have five children together, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They raised their kids in Gary's childhood home built by his father until 2006, and then they moved to the house Gary helped build his with his dad in 1967. He loved that property more than anything and he was a steward to the land until he could not anymore. For Gary it was very important to him that his kids and grandkids grew up there too and know the freedom of being able to ride around on the trails and hunt whenever you wanted to without having to ask anyone. After four girls, Dawn and Gary finally had a boy in 1989 named Shane who worked alongside Gary as his most trusted cohort from his childhood until the end. Shane and Gary together ran Gary McMillon Construction and together they built dozens of buildings, wrecked dozens of houses, installed countless septic tanks, poured thousands of yards of concrete and moved thousands of yards of dirt together and that was Gary's proudest achievement and made up his favorite memories with his son. Gary is survived by his wife Dawn, of Battle Creek, daughter Heather (Patrick) of Lansing, daughter Jennifer of Battle Creek and son Shane, of Battle Creek. Gary and Dawn have a very special relationship with their youngest grandkids Avayiah and Isaiah who they took guardianship of after their mother's passing in 2022, they are both like children and grandchildren, and Gary was like both a father and Papa Gary, all in one. Gary is also survived by his brother Lowell (Joan) of Nashville, Michigan, his sister Sandra (Johnny) Letson, of Guntown, Mississippi, and his brother Clarence, of Knob Noster, Missouri. He is also survived by two other grandchildren, Desiree Allred and Elizabeth Perkins, and his great grandson, Liam Allred, all of Battle Creek. Preceding Gary in death are two daughter's, Summer who passed away in 2024, and Taylor who passed away in 2022, his brother Hoyt McMillon in 2023, his nephew Darby McMillon, as well as his niece Desany McMillon, both in 2022, his sister Carolyn Cornelius in 2007, and his mother and father who passed in 2005 and 2006 respectively. He is also preceded in death by his sister Bernice McMillon. For many years, Gary had to live without his former brother-in-law and best friend, Richard A. Ehrhardt who passed away in 1993, and it brings his family great happiness and peace that they are together once again. Also surviving Gary is his lifelong friend, John Shafer, of Battle Creek, who remained Gary's steadfast friend from elementary school to the end of his life, also known as Uncle John to Gary's kids and grandkids. Funeral services for Gary will be held Friday, June 28, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with visitation from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment to follow at Floral Lawn Gardens. There will be a small gathering at the Moonraker Restaurant and Lounge following the interment and the family is welcoming friends and family together to celebrate in Gary's honor. www.henryfuneralhome.org