Gary Adkison (1940-2023)

Major Gary D Adkison (ret.)

In memory:

Gary Douglas Adkison was born on October 28th, 1940. Born and raised in Idaho, after running with the Flying Oil Cans MC as a teenager, Gary went to the seminary and became a Seventh Day Adventist minister and Bible teacher, servicing churches and schools in Oregon. In 1973 he joined the US Army as a chaplain. In 1979 he transferred to the Medical Service Corps and then retired in Colorado Springs in 1996.

Gary’s first step into tabletop gaming was in 1972 when some of his students came over and showed him and his son, Peter, how to play RISK. Gary & Peter were hooked, and their search for similar games took them to the Avalon Hill shelf of the local hobby store. Game credentials from this era include Panzer Blitz, 3rd Reich, War in the East, and a “lifelong subscription” to S&T.

In 1994 Peter introduced his new card game, Magic: The Gathering, to Gary. Gary was immediately hooked and became a lifelong avid fan of Magic, both as a player and as a collector. Gary started a Magic club in Korea where he was stationed and spent many of his retirement years traveling the world to Magic tournaments and game stores to play, teach, and collect Magic.

In June, 2023, Gary passed due to complications from dementia. He is survived by his wife, Kyong, and his children, Peter and Joyce.

Although Gary has passed, the Gary Con Gary Adkison Memorial Magic the Gathering Tourney will be hosted to celebrate and honor his memory and passion for gaming. More information to come!