Gary E. Waring was born on October 5, 1944, in Fairbury, Nebraska, to Keith and Juanita (Rice) Waring. The Warings resided in Fairbury where Gary enjoyed spending time with his Rice cousins on the family dairy farm. He also enjoyed spending time with his Waring cousins in north central Nebraska. Keith passed away in December 1953. Shortly thereafter, Juanita accepted a promotion with Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph and Juanita, Gary and Steve moved to Tecumseh, Nebraska, where they were quickly welcomed into the community. Gary was a student athlete, participating and excelling in football, basketball, track and baseball.
Gary graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1963. He attended Hastings College and earned his bachelors degree in biology in 1967. While at Hastings College, he participated in football and baseball for two years.
On June 5, 1965, Gary was united in marriage to Sandy Hunt at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Tecumseh. Gary and Sandy were blessed with two daughters, Heather and Holly.
Gary was accepted to Mayo Clinic School of Physical Therapy in Rochester, Minnesota and began his post-graduate education in 1967. Gary began his long and successful career in physical therapy in 1969 at Kearney Clinic in Kearney, Nebraska. From 1970 to 1972, he worked at Colorado P.T. Services in Longmont, Colorado. In 1972, Gary and Sandy moved their family to Cozad, Nebraska, which was the Warings’ home until 1996. During his time in Cozad, Gary worked at both Cozad Community Hospital and Gothenburg Memorial Hospital. In 1996, Gary and Sandy moved to Tecumseh, where Gary was employed with Johnson County Hospital until his retirement in January 2015.
Gary hade a passion for his career as a physical therapist. He genuinely cared for every individual that he treated. He was also the volunteer athletic trainer at the Cozad and Gothenburg High Schools. During his career, Gary inspired and mentored countless young people to become physical therapists or athletic trainers.
During their time in Cozad, Gary spent his spare time playing golf and tennis and, in his younger years, played city league basketball and was on a bowling league. He also spent countless hours helping Heather and Holly with homework and spending quality time with them. During their junior high and high school years, he never missed a game or activity of theirs.
Gary was active in the American Lutheran Church in Cozad, serving on several church boards, serving as a sponsor for the senior high youth league, teaching Sunday school and singing in the choir. Gary was most recently a member of Martin Luther Church in Johnson, Nebraska.
He also served the community of Cozad as a member the Cozad Public Library Board, the Cozad Community Schools Association and a member of the school board.
Gary never met a stranger, was always available for a good (and sometimes lengthy) conversation and was always there with a helping hand or kind word.
He passed away February 15, 2026 in Falls City, Nebraska at the age of 81 years.
Gary is survived by his wife, Sandy Waring of Tecumseh; daughter Heather Waring of Omaha; Holly Rieschick and husband, Ryan, of Auburn, granddaughters Maggy (Caleb) Nelson and their children, Fletcher, Jordy and Callahan of Falls City, Meg (Griffen) Vater and their daughter, Millie, of Beatrice, and Macy (Jaxson) Balm of Falls City; sister-in-law Carol Waring of Tecumseh, brother-in-law Jon Bornemeier; and several nieces and nephews.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Charles Ettlemanm, brother Steve, brother-in-law Michael Hunt and sister-in-law Susie Bornemeier.
A Celebration of Life Service was held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 21, 2026 at the Martin Luther Church, Johnson, Nebraska with Rev. Ken Tubbesing officiating. Organist, C.J. Lamb-Evans accompanied congregational hymns “This Is My Father’s World” and “Abide With Me.” Special music included “The Irish Blessing”. Inurnment was in the church cemetery. Memorials may go to the family’s choice. Services were entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, Tecumseh, Nebraska.