Gary Lynn Jarrard

Gary Jarrard went to be with the Lord after an almost 3 year hard fought battle with cancer on Tuesday July 27, 2021. Gary was born May 2, 1948 in Ardmore, OK to Herman and Gladys (Suttle) Jarrard. While we could say so many things about our husband, dad, Pa, brother and friend, in true Gary form, he had written his own obituary. If you knew Gary, you would know, his last wish would be that we not add, subtract, or make any addendums to his final, short and to the point, summation of his life. We love him dearly and he will be missed by all who survived him, including his wife Sharon, his daughter Jennifer Oliver and her husband David, grandchildren Whitney, Madeleine, Emma and Blake, sister Linda Hall and her husband Jack, and so many extended family members and friends. And so, for one last time, your final briefing (including instructions!) from Gary:"Married Sharon 50 years ago in Miller Chapel at Baylor University. She is the love of my life. I have called her my caregiver. She didn't like the term, so I made her my CEO. We were attending a church in Midwest City in 1975 when an attorney in our Sunday School class called and said that he had 35 couples on an adoption waiting list, but God moved him to call me. "Do you want a baby girl that was born yesterday?" I said "yes", then called Sharon. When God moves, you do not hesitate. Our daughter Jennifer was given to us by God a week after she was born, when a nurse at University Hospital handed her to us and told us that it was feeding time. We did not know anything about being parents, but went out and bought furniture and some clothes for her. We love her!!! Jennifer gave us 3 wonderful granddaughters, Whitney, Madeleine, and Emma, who we have had the privilege of watching grow up and to be in their lives. I am biased, but Jennifer, Whitney, Madeleine, and Emma are our most important accomplishments. David and Blake Oliver came into our lives when the kids were young and finished our family. Their addition blessed us all. I was lucky to have 2 good partners in Ralph and Chuck, and together we built 300 Sonic Drive-In's. In that process, Sharon and I made wonderful life-long friends with our local partners in cities across the South. These partners are far more than business partners. We watched our kids grow up, stood by each other in the hard times and the good times, and their love endures to today. I could list all of them, but I want the service limited to 40 minutes and then go have some fun."Services are scheduled to begin at 10am on Monday, August 2nd, 2021 at Crossings Community Church, (the service will actually start at 9:59 because Gary was always early). In lieu of flowers please send donations to Hope is Alive Ministries, Wish for Our Heroes, or Crossings Community Church.