Gary E. Stine, age 88 of Vandalia, IL, passed away peacefully at Vandalia Healthcare and Senior Living on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Per Gary's wishes, cremation rites will be accorded. A memorial service will be held on June 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm at Miller Funeral Home in Vandalia, IL with Justin Craig officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, also at the funeral home. A private burial will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, or your local animal rescue.

Gary was born November 3, 1937 in Vandalia, IL, the son of Kenneth Lewis and Angela Juanita (Kinsel) Stine. He married Paula Jo Vittitow Craig on March 25, 2004 in Las Vegas, NV at "The Little Church of the West". They shared a wonderful 38 years together before his passing.

Gary had countless successful endeavors throughout his lifetime. He delivered newspapers on his Monarch Bicycle at age 11. He was a busboy at Jay's Restaurant in his teens. He attended four years of college where he majored in zoology, botany, and chemistry. During that time, he also student taught for high school students. His third year of college he began to run out of money so he worked one summer in Yellowstone National Park. He then joined the US Army and served from 1960 to 1963. While in the military he was a scrub nurse in Seattle, Washington. He was also a traveling chemist for Pepsi Cola, and pulled his lab throughout the state. While there, he saw the Space Needle being built at the World's Fair. He worked in management at Revlon and also worked as a restaurant manager at Friendly's Restaurant in West Patterson, New Jersey. His final job was as a molder at Owens Brockway Packaging in Vandalia, IL from 1983 to 2003. In his free time, Gary enjoyed NASCAR, fishing and visiting with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Paula Stine of Vandalia, IL; daughter, Lynn Stine of Homestead, FL, stepson, Justin (Amanda) Craig; grandsons, Madden, Hayden, and Landen, all of Carlinville, IL; sister, Vicky (Mike) Wheatley of Vandalia, IL; brother, Doug Stine of Richmond, KY; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, JoAnn Kniece, and one brother and sister who died in infancy.