Gary was born in 1945 to Earl and Gladys Christ in New Brunswick and spent his entire childhood in Milltown, NJ. He attended Milltown Public Schools and New Brunswick High School, graduating in 1963.  He was a Boy Scout, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.  He enjoyed his summers at Boy Scout camp both as a camper and later as a counselor. He also enjoyed spending time with his family at the Booraem family farm in Philmont, NY and spoke fondly of a cross country trip he took with his family in the early 1960s.  

After graduating from NBHS, he attended Rutgers University, where he was a member of the track team and a brother of the Zeta Psi fraternity. The brotherhood of Zeta Psi was important to him and he often spoke of his experiences there with brothers he stayed friends with throughout his life. Also, while at Rutgers, he was in ROTC and then Reserve Officer Candidate training. He graduated from Rutgers in 1967 with a BA in Geography. He was interviewed for the Rutgers Oral History Project in 2007 and his interview can be read on their website.

Shortly after graduation, Gary was commissioned as a Naval officer and was stationed at Argentia, Newfoundland, tracking Russian submarines from the naval base there. He was honorably discharged in 1969 as a lieutenant. He remained part of the Navy Reserve until the late 1970s. He was very proud of his military service and enjoyed taking an Honor Flight to Washington DC after his first cancer diagnosis.

Most of Gary’s post-naval career was spent at Supermarkets General where he held various positions with Pathmark and their various companies, the last one as a Director of Operations. He was highly respected during his tenure there. 

Gary was married twice; first to Joyce Pinter from 1967 to 1978 and then to Kathy Peto from 1984 to 2021, although they were separated in 2004.  

During different parts of his life, Gary enjoyed playing golf, watching the NY Giants, watching Fox News, complaining about “the democrats”, spending time at his Pocono house, and going on many cruises.  He proudly wore Giants attire, even when they were terrible, as well several Rutgers sweatshirts (despite that their football team was almost always terrible). He was insanely smart, having once read the entire set of encyclopedias as a child.  His daughters remember playing Trivial Pursuit with him and never getting a turn. 

He was predeceased by his father, Earl H. Christ in 2005 and his sister-in-law, Rita Christ in 2020.  He is survived by his mother, Gladys Kuhlthau Christ, of Monroe; his sister Gail Christ Piccirillo, and her husband, Vinnie, also of Monroe; his brother Scott Christ of Somerset; daughter Lisa Christ Kressler and her husband Ed of Chatham; daughter Leigh Christ of Robbinsville; grandchildren Connor, Kyle, and Delaney Kressler;  nieces Tracy Walz Wilton, Marcy Walz Haley; and nephews Jeremy and Zachary Christ. 

Gary’s desire was to be cremated.  His daughters will scatter his ashes in the Poconos and near the family farm in NY state.  He did not want to help with his obituary but was insistent that we did not go to the funeral home run by “the democrats”.

There will be a celebration of life held at the Rossmoor Clubhouse, Rossmoor Community, Rossmoor Drive, Monroe Township, NJ on Tuesday December 20th from 3 to 7 pm.  We will have a casual memorial service, refreshments, and a time to share any stories you shared with Gary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) or the Honor Flight Network (www.honorflight.org) or a charity of your choice.