From editor Chuck Woodbury
Dear RVer friends,
It’s Friday evening, April 17, 2020. I have just learned that my dear friend Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor, has died after battling COVID-19 for several weeks. I am devastated. Gary was my Seattle neighbor and one of my very best friends, and I know he was a friend of many of you, too. A nicer guy never lived.
Friday night is when Gail and I celebrate the end of a week, and another RV Travel Newsletter, with a bottle of wine. So, as I write this, late in the evening, I have had a couple of glasses, which normally means I stay clear of my computer for fear of writing something that might embarrass me. But I must write something now.
I can’t begin to tell you how Gail and I adored Gary — one of the sweetest, kindest men either of us have ever known. I can’t imagine him being gone. I can’t.
The photo above was taken a few years ago at a VIP party for the Hershey RV Show. It’s Gary, on the right, with Gail and our friend Chris Dougherty, the technical editor of Trailer Life and Motorhome Magazines. We are all good friends.
Oh, I will miss Gary terribly. And so will Gail, as will all our RV-media friends. I can’t even fathom not having him around. We have all looked forward every year to meeting up in September at the annual Hershey (Pennsylvania) RV Show, where we gather before the show begins at the Bears’ Den at the Hershey Lodge to drink a little beer, eat greasy food, and catch up on our lives. Gary has been the person who always brought us together. Right now, I cannot imagine being there without him.
I am so sad for his family — his wife Debbie, his high school sweetheart and love of his life, and his daughters Gretchen and Heather. And his young grandchildren who brought him such great joy.
I will write more later, but right now I am too sad to write, and Gail is sad, and we need to begin to deal with the loss of our very dear friend. We’re sitting in our motorhome now, exchanging stories about our buddy, laughing, then crying and then laughing again and crying again, and so we go. Oh, my special friend, I hope we meet again one day.
More later, but for now this is all I can say.
Me too…
Ruth and I are so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Gary. Our prayers are with you and Gail and Gary’s family.
My thoughts and prayers are with Gary’s family
Gary was a dear friend and colleague. Those of us in the RV industry, and all who knew him, will miss him terribly but with fond memories of our times together…. May we meet again in that big RV park in the sky.
I’ve never known a nicer, sweeter, more genuine guy. I’m devastated. Very sincere condolences to his wife and family. It just doesn’t seem possible. He will be missed by literally thousands of his friends, fans and followers, in addition to his family. We were supposed to go shooting at my mountain property. I’ll hit a few bull’s eyes for you, Gary, which I will have labeled in big, black letters “COVID-19.” Huge hug from Mountain Mama.
I never met Gary, but in reading his column in RV Travel every week, it became very obvious the his love of life, RVing, and people Was boundless. He will be missed! I wished I had known him personally!
I’m so sorry to hear that Gary didn’t survive this terrible time. He was one of the loved “fixtures” on RVTravel. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I met and spoke with Gary at a FROG Rally in Goshen, Indiana a few years back. He has helped so many RVers with his talks and seminars. He will surely be missed. God bless him…
Our deepest condolences on the passing of your friend and colleague, Gary.
The endless beautiful things that he would say about you and Gail. The wonderful stories, the fitting tributes. It’s what we as friends do. We pay homage to those that are silent. Our heart breaks for their families. We sit, numbed to the thought that they are gone. It’s just bad information, a dream that I will surely wake from.
Just please know, even though I don’t know any of you personally, that your friendship meant as much to him. Lives are changed forever. We are called to be resilient, to love each other like it’s our last moment, and as your new catch phrase states, wash your hands often.
May God bless you, your loved ones, Gary’s loved ones, and Gary’s soul. He was a gem
My condolences to the Bunzer family. I’m sure, like most, we will miss Garys articles and wealth of knowledge, that has helped many folks over the years. This is a great loss to the RV community.
We are terribly saddened to hear of Gary’s passing. We have traveled the past 7 years to the Hershey RV show to attend Gary’s seminars and visit with him. It was obvious that he loved sharing his RV knowledge with everyone. He will truly be missed by all who had the privilege of meeting him. Our condolences and prayers go out to his family during this terribly difficult time.
Such sad news, I enjoyed watching his podcasts. I will miss him too. I am so sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry for your loss. May he RIP.
I am sorry to hear that Gary has passed. So many, to soon, my thoughts and prayers are with Gary’s family and yours. God Bless!
Our hearts are heavy right now. RIP Gary. You left a legend that will never be forgotten!
My heart and prayers are with all of you and his family…….
So sorry to hear of Gary’s passing. I enjoyed reading his articles over the years and I will miss him in the future. My sincere condolences to his wife and family and to you and your family and many friends. Rest In Peace Gary.
Take care of yourselves, keep your distance from others and stay home as much as possible. Take care.
I am so sorry to hear about your good friend. My wife and I are so lucky for one to be retired. I think of my family with no jobs right now along with my friends and other family members and pray nothing happens to them. God will take care of us in his way. This is a strange virus and I know we will get through it and better times will come. My prayers are with you , your wife and Gary’s family.
Dear Chuck, we are so sorry for the loss of your great friend Gary. Although we have never met any of you, we have enjoyed reading and following his articles and videos over the years, as well as yours. Our heart felt sympathies to all of you.
So sorry to learn of Gary’s passing. 😢
So sorry to hear of Gary’s passing.
So sorry about your friend.
Continue to celebrate his life & remember the good times.
So very sorry to hear about Gary. His were some of the best and most useful articles over the years. He just seemed to be a very nice man who was generous with his time and so helpful with his advice. Condolences to his family.
I am just devastated!! So sorry for the loss of Gary, and the fact you will not be able to pay your respects first hand. Will never forget his great contributions to our world and the RV community. RIP Mr Bunzer, you will be truly missed by many.
So sorry to hear of Gary’s passing. Our prayers go out to you, Gail, Gary’s family and many friends. Godspeed Gary.
Just as a lighthouse guides mariners and is always a welcome sight, Gary guided all of us with his knowledge while lighting our path through RV life with his humor, understanding, and clarity.
The light may be extinguished, but the lighthouse stands in our hearts and memories.
I am so sorry to hear about Gary’s passing. I empathize with all of you that knew him personally and can but add my own feelings of how this virus is affecting our sense of mortality. If we are unlucky enough to catch this virus too, we’ll probably attend the big camping roundup in the sky with the rest of you and see Gary to ask some more RVing questions.
The President is right, this is a war as in any War, it seems that so many of the good ones are taken.
Just like all Wars, we all come out changed.
Stay positive and look the future, it can only get better. So sorry for your loss of your dear friend, l enjoy reading, his articles very much
Walter Holbury
Your euphemisms don’t honor Gary. He wasn’t “taken”, he was murdered by ineptitude.
The President has been wrong almost every step of this war. It didn’t need to be war. His lack of action, followed by bad proclamations and deliberately subverting action, despite the advice of our nation’s finest minds, created this battlefield where many innocents have perished. Our friends and families’ deaths were predicted and preventable.
Knock off the political BS. Its not appreciated at a time like this. Go turn on CNN and mourn in your own way.
I am too shocked and saddened this very moment to even think about all I could say about this great individual and the untold advisories of his I valued over the course of many years. I can however say” God Speed Gary Bunzer, indeed and in fact, you will long be remembered !!! R.I.P.
I am so very very sorry about the loss of your dear friend.
I am so saddened to hear of Gary’s death. Prayers to his wife & family & all of his many friends, both physical & digital. Gary will be missed by all of his RV followers. RIP Gary.
Very well said.
I’m sad for you and Gail, his family and all of the RV family.
We will all miss him.
I’m so sorry!
I’m so sorry for your, and our, loss. Gary was a wonderful man, but now a huge loss. RIP
We send our condolences, true friends are too few and far between.
I met him at a RV rally several yr’s ago. He was a great help on a question I had about my Generator not starting in auto mode. I will miss him. Always enjoyed his columns.
So sad. We’re sorry for our loss of such a wonderful person. RIP.
Chuck, Thanks for letting us know. I’m sitting here reading your opening comments, and then the news about Gary’s death, teary-eyed.
Prayers for Gary, his wife, daughters and their families, and to his many friends… Rest In Peace
So sorry to hear this, prayers for his family and friends.
I’m so sorry for this loss to the RV world and to Gary’s family. I hope they find comfort and peace from these notes knowing Gary touched many lives.
He will be missed by thousands of RVers who depended on his wisdom regarding our RV lives. My prayers are for his family at this sad time!!
My most sincere condolences, Chuck and Gail, on the loss of your beloved friend. Also, condolences to Gary’s family and other friends. This virus has taken people who should have had many years to live. In the words that Vera Lynn made famous…..”we’ll meet again, don’t know where ,don’t know when…but I know we’ll meet again some sunny day”.
So sorry for your loss of a good friend. And this is a loss to the RV community as well. My prayers go out to his family. In honor of Gary I made a contribution this morning. Please stay safe, you and your staff. You do a great service for the RVers of this world. Thank you and GOD BLESS.
Sincere condolences to you and your family and to Gary’s family on your loss . He is no longer struggling and he is prayerfullly in a better place. Thankfully, my family has been spared any loss by this dvastating illness. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your families. God bless.
I am so very sorry for the loss of your friend. This level of sadness is a testament to the level of love you had for him. I will remember you and Gail and Gary’s family and friends in my prayers. Damn this virus!
I am so very sorry to hear of Gary’s passing. Our condolences to you and Gail and Gary’s family. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. May Gary Rest In Peace. His spirit and love will live on in all he touched.
So very sorry for the loss of your great friend and a tremendous resource for the RV Community, Chuck. He will be missed by many… 🙁
I am so very sorry to hear this news. As a nurse, I do not want to see even one more death from this illness. I am praying for our nation, and your friend’s family. God bless all of you.
I am so sorry to hear this. He was your friend, but he was also a friend to the many readers who never met him. He will be missed by many.
I have been following your updates on Gary and so sorry to hear this. Prayers of peace for his family, friends, and the RV community. He will be missed.
Very well written, Chuck. THe trips to Hershey were always fun.
I am so very sorry for your and our loss of Gary. I never got the chance to meet him but always read any of his articles. It is a great loss for all RVers – he is un-replaceable. We will all miss him greatly. Please recycle his articles from time to time.
Again so sorry for your loss.
Well written, Chuck. The Hershey get together had turned into a fun time for all of us media folks.
Oh no…. we will all miss Gary and his insights. Chuck, please accept my condolences, you and Gail…. your very words brought me to tears, your grief is palpable and real… as we’ve all kept up our hopes along with you.
Peace and love …..
So sad to hear this. Our condolences.
RIP Gary.
Such an inspiration in the RV Industry!
So very sorry for your loss.
So sad to hear about Gary, and condolences to his family and yours. Gary had a wealth of RV information that will not be matched and a wonderful charm. If I needed help researching an issue I could always count on Gary. I and the RV world will miss him.
I’m so very sorry.
RIP RV Doctor…..I learned a lot from watching and listening to you.
We’ll pray for his family and friends.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gary and Gary’s family at this time of sadness. His articles and his wisdom will surely be missed by those of us that have read his articles and semi-got-to-know him. Rest in peace Gary.
Robin and Ed D.
Prayers for his family. I will miss wonderful weekly articles. Our condolences to his family.
Prayers and condolences to Gary’s family. He will be deeply missed by the RVers. I was fortunate to sit thru many of his seminars at Hershey and always came away with many ideas to make my RVing easier/safer. He was always willing to give his time and knowledge to the attendees at the seminars.
Dear Chuck and Gail,
We are saddened to hear of the passing of our dear friend Gary.
Although we’ve never met Gary, he along with you have become a trusted friend who is there for us every week. Friends whom we turn to for honest information on this RV lifestyle that we all share in common.
The written word is powerful. It can bring humans together or it can divide us. Fortunately you and Gary have chosen to write to us regularly for the former purpose.
We are grateful for having had Gary and you as a friends.
Sincerely,
Doug and Terrie Weber
We are so sad to read this. It’s a shock to hear this news. Sending big hugs to you both.
Prayers for his immediate family and also for his extended family.
Gary had the ability to talk to anyone at their level and make us feel we were his entire focus. I am blessed that I count myself among the ones who Gary took under his wing. Spread your wings Gary we will be the wind beneath your wings.
So very sorry that this Virus has taken a best friend. May he rest peacefully knowing how much you and Gail loved him and will miss him.
So very sad. Condolences to his family and friends. Never met him in person but I’ve been reading his stuff fo so long that I feel like I know him a little bit. We’ll all miss you Gary. RIP.
Chuck and Gail
So sorry to hear of the passing of your Very special friend. May you keep sharing wonderful memories together of him and with all your friends who knew and loved him. Prayers for you all. 🙏🙏🙏
It’s so sad for all of you and his family. Hugs to you all!
❤️🙏🙏🙏❤️
My heart ❤️ goes out to you, Gail and all the RV support world for Gary B!
❤️🙏🙏🙏❤️
Skip & Patty Kincaid
Brody (aussie) and Rhett (macaw)
2006 Bounder 35E
5th year fulltime Winter in Navarre, FL. Summer in Petoskey, MI
Grandkids in GA and CA (10 times by Bounder). Shelter in place in Navarre FL and plan to visit TX, MI then GA before this coming Halloween 🎃 back here on beautiful SantaRosaRV!
The RV world has lost a good man & a knowledgeable friend to us all. Our sincere condolences to his family & to you, Chuck & Gail, too.
May God bless and comfort his family and friends.
Jerry Chandler
A terrible loss. He was loved by many, even by those who never met him. Praying for his soul, and for those who mourn him.
I’m new to this community. This is the first issue of your newsletter that I have read. I am so very sad to hear of the passing of your friend. You wrote a wonderful and caring tribute. My husband and I will be praying for his family and for yours as you grieve this loss. May you overflow with hope!
Gary this is a sad day to hear about Gary Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends,
His RV comments will be missed.
Chuck your opening article today was very warm and true. Too bad so many people show no thought for anyone but themselves.
I am just as sad as you are even though I never met him. I have read his advise for many years and felt I knew him personally. I also will sure miss him as a friend and an RV friend. I’m truly sorry to hear this news. Sorry for your loss
So sorry to hear this news. RIP Gray.
This is so very sad, he will be missed by so many people for his advice and friendship in the entire rv industry. He was a very genuine guy who was always willing to help solve problems. We are blessed to have met him and learned from him.
Deepest sympathy to all.
What a loss! Gary leaves a huge empty space behind, he will be missed in so many way as we all watch for his columns in FMCA and here, his presence at conferences and shows. As others have said “RIP RV Doc”. Barb and I mourn along with you and Gail, Chuck. Many blessings to Gary’s loved ones.
Life
It comes & goes faster than we can understand it.In sad times as you are experiencing now it’s comforting to know God’s words.The Gift he’s left us is amazing if one chooses to open it.I refer to the Bible as the Directions to Life
When all else fails read the Directions! If you choose to believe His Story. Which is the most important History lesson in Life.He makes it perfectly Clear.If you choose his ways there’s no question about seeing your life long Friends again if they made the best investment they could of made down here on Earth.
The treasures in Heaven we can’t even Comprehend A men:)
Amen. Well said and so true!
Anthony, I pray that faith will carry all of us mortals. Chuck,Gail you have now lost two neighbors to this mysterious disease, I believe? So very sorry for your heartbreaking pain. I know too well the huge open wound “loss” makes within our souls. Hoping, praying for positive thoughts encompassing and protecting all people’s. R.I. P. Gary 🙏. Thanks be to God💕✌🏻
Rv’ing has lost a great friend and mentor. I have learned much over the years reading his articles.
My best to all of his family and friends. This is truly a sad time in our lives.
So very sorry for the loss of your very dear friend. Love, prayers & a virtual hug 💔💔🙏🙏
OMG. Prayers to his family.
So very sorry for the loss of your friend. Prayers & strength for the RV community, his family & friends
His knowledge of RV’s will be missed by many, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Hopefully thinking of the good times that your family spend together will help you get through this time of hurt. 🙏❤
Dear Chuck,,
I’m so sorry to hear of his passing. I didn’t know him other than his column .
The 2 main articles I would always read was yours and Gary’s “RV. Doctor”.
He sure will be missed and his column.
So sorry.
Harold
I’ve been RV’ing for almost 40 years. I’ve always tried to educate myself on all facets of RV repair. I’ve listened to Gary many, many, times and almost feel I’ve know in personally. He was a wonderful resource for his fellow RV’ers and seemed to be a great guy. Our sympathy and prayers for his family and those mourning his passing.
Condolences to you, Gail, and the entire Bunzer family.
So very sorry to read of Gary’s death. This is a harsh reality check for all of us. Felt like I knew him because of reading his good advice. Praying for all of his family and friends during this very sad time. Your announcement of his death was very heartfelt and sincere. Your honesty gave us all a final appreciation of a wonderful person. Thank you.
My condolences to you, Gail, and Gary’s family. You are all in my prayers.
So saddened to read about Gary’s passing. I learned so much from him over the years. He was truly one of those “helpers” that Mr. Rogers said to look for. Chuck, our prayers and thoughts are with his family and with you and Gail. RIP Gary. – Dann & Diane Yeager
Our deepest sympathy for the loss of your good friend. We wish you peace and comfort during this difficult time. 🙏🏻
So sad. Although we had only met him virtually, we’ll all miss Gary. My condolences to you!
The RV industry has lost it’s greatest ambassador. Gary’s seminars, books and articles helped countless RV’s get more enjoyment out of their RV;s and encouraged many new comers to give this great lifestyle a try. He was one of the kindest and generous people I have ever met. He was always there with a helping hand and a big smile. He will be missed.
Sorry for your loss. Such a scary time. Prayers to his family.
So sorry for your loss. Gary was a wonderful teacher and I learned so much about my RV because of his columns- Thank you for letting us all get a chance to learn from him.
A terrible loss. Prayers for his family, friends, and the rv community
I don’t know you guys but I am so very very sorry for your loss of your special friend. This virus is changing all of us. It is an Awful thing that has been unleashed on the world. Think of the good times. I hope to be on a RV hippy gypsy journey myself soon. So god speed to you and all who knew him. And may his angels bring peace to his family soon.
I am so sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences to you and Gary’s family.
And this is what I think of when I see those poor misguided people protesting for opening things back up NOW. AND those encouraging them.
I loved reading Gary’s kind and thoughtful answers to question on Rv operation and repairs over the years.
Seriously, you say that because a really great guy passed away. Doing that, has nothing to do with Gary losing his life, nothing.
Instead say a prayer for Gary, and for wisdom of the brave leaders who will return this great nation to normality again. We live in the greatest Country in the world. We are developing a vaccine to beat this thing. We will succeed, and we will also miss Gary. Rest in peace.
Rest in peace Gary…….. I am pretty sure that I have never met a better role model than you Gary ! If I could emulate half of your qualities I would consider myself a success. Thanks for everything you have done for me personalty & believing in me. I will cherish the time we spent teaching together at Hershey !
God bless you & your family
It was sad to wake up to a text from Russ and Tina stating that Gary had passed on. Mao and I came to know Gary at FMCA events, and then by preforming technical editing for his wonderful and helpful articles. The RV community has lost a great helper, our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Sorry for your and our loss. I never met the man, but one could tell from just the way he wrote and answered many of our stupid RV questions, that the was a wonderful person. I learned a lot from his columns in this news letter and from many of his you tube videos. We will ALL miss him a lot.
Sorry for your loss. losing a friend is hard. Sending prayers to the family.
Wow, this is just horrible news!! So sorry for your loss!! Sending prayers up!!
So sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed reading this articles and learned a few things. My heart goes out to his family. May he rest in peace.
So Sorry, My prayers go out to all of you
I’m very sorry to hear. May he Rest In Peace and that God comforts his family and friends during this time.
I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I hope that all of the fine, fun memories you have of your time with your dear friend will help you through this difficult time. Blessings to you and Gail.
I had the privilege of knowing Gary as he was my instructor when I studied thru North Hampton Community College and became a Master Certified Tech. . I also met him on several occasions at the Hershey show. A more knowledgeable person and kind person I have never met. There is a big void in the RV industry with Gary gone, a very sad day.
To Gary’s family, his friends, my deepest thoughts and prayers as we try to work thru this tremendous loss. Rest in peace Gary!
Sorry to hear of Gary’s passing! He will be missed by many on this paper and I am sure that those who met him are better for it. Sad day indeed. This virus is devastating in many ways. To those who have lost loved ones, those without jobs and yes, Chuck, you and I are very fortunate to be living in our RV’s in a safe place, sorrounded by beauty. As I type this, we are on our way to Helper, Utah to workcamp at a beautiful new RV park in Castle country! Life don’t get much better than that! We all have to keep a positive attitude and believe things will return to almost normal afterwards! It will be hard for me especially, as I am a handshaker.
May God rest Gary’s soul and comfort his family! Pray for our country, our president, that our government does the right things to get us out of this tragedy!
So sorry for the loss of your friend. May he rest in the arms of the Lord. I’m praying that his family and friends find comfort in knowing he is at peace.
I do not know anyone personally that has passed from Covid 19, however, almost every person with an RV knows Gary from his videos etc. Brings the magnitude of this crisis right to your doorstep.
We met Gary at last years FMCA rally in Perry GA. What a wonderful and knowledgeable person. The RV industry lost a great friend. RIP Gary Bunzer
OMG. The RV world has lost a great friend, a great representative, a great teacher, a great adviser. He has probably helped more RVers fix, repair, adjust and get them back on the road than most service centers combined. Any RVer that has not seen one of his many videos or listened to one of his broadcasts must have their RV locked up in a cave. We have all met Gary by viewing his videos or watching a broadcast or have sent and received his emails. Gary was a pillar of knowledge, and cheer. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Chuck, Gail, don’t know you, never met you. But you, along with Gary have been good to the RV community. God Bless Gary, and may he rest in eternal peace.
So very sorry for your loss.RIP GARY.
I’m sorry for your loss, I too lost a friend even though I never met him in person, he will definitely be missed.
I am deeply saddened to learn of Gary’s passing. When I heard he was in ICU on a ventilator I feared the worst. Gary was a mentor and a roll model for me when I started to give Technical Seminars at various RV conventions. I made a point of attending his seminars whenever possible just to see how he delivered answers and passed along his knowledge on almost everything RV. I will always strive to improve and hope to someday be half as good as he was. We are all worse off with his passing but we are better off to have met and learned from him.
So sorry for your loss. Gary was a wonderful teacher and we learned so much about our RV because of his columns- Thank you for letting us all get a chance to learn from him. He will be missed by so many.
I never had the privilege of meeting this man, but he taught me so much. He will be missed. God bless him and our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Very sorry to hear this news. I thought for sure he’d pull through.
Chuck Gail, All.
Geri and I are thinking about you to. What you folks (and staff) do for us in incalculable.
Tonight we will share a glass of wine over our evening meal, in memory of Gary, and you folks who are such an important part of the stream of information we need to be safely on the roads in our RV. Salute!
Terribly sorry to hear about Gary’s passing.
This is impossible to wrap my mind around. I have numerous saved emails from Gary. He guided me through so many “emergencies”, perceived or real, as a newbie in the RV world. Never did he hint at how little knowledge I had or chide me for being so concerned about something so minor. It wasn’t until years later, that I realized how simple some fixes were and wondered where his patience came from. I will be forever grateful for his talent and personal spirit. We’ve lost one of the best. So sad.
Though I’ve never met Gary in person the outpouring of his memories here is far greater than anything I’ve ever seen before and certainly a tribute to a an amazing man. A fellow traveler who has helped many of us and made our world a better place and will long be remembered.
Read your Editorial this morning, then read the Update on Gary’s passing. It was like a kick in the gut…..I am sorry for your sorrows; R.I.P. Gary.
So sorry to read of Gary’s passing. Obviously he was a dear friend and colleague. Be glad that you had such a friend in your life for as long as you did.
Happy Trails
I am so very sorry for your profound loss. I celebrate your friendship with Gary and his family. So very thankful for Gary’s final journey and his eternal life; he is back to Gary and a free man. RIP Gary.
So very sad to hear about Gary/RV Doctor. I have enjoyed watching and listening to his helpful knowledge for many years. Blessings and comfort to you, family and friends of Gary who are now feeling his loss.
So very sorry to hear of Gary’s passing, thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. I will miss his sage advice and his great smile.
To all at rvtravel so sorry for your LOSS , he will be greatly missed !
One seminar at Hershey is all it took to know Gary as a genuinely great all around person. I join the many who can emotionally feel this loss. JohnT
RV Doctor: Gary Bunzer.
The only Doctor who left you with knowledge and resolve. Without a single prescription or you owing so much as a nickel.
His information and knowledge is permanent and retrievable with just a tap or click.
I’m sure he’ll be doctoring RV’s at the Pearly Gates RV Resort 🙂
Rest in Peace.
My condolences to his wife 💔 and loved ones.
😪
🙏
We have not met you Chuck or your dear friend Gary, nor attended yet, the Hershey RV show, but we would like to someday. We/I have been a regular reader of your Newsletter and always read Gary’s articles. We understand your grief but know that the good memories you have will make the journey forward more bearable. Take care and be safe.
Rick & Roberta, campers since our honeymoon 50 years ago.
Devastated & so saddened to hear the news, our condolences to his family & friends. His passing is a loss to the RV community that will be difficult to fill. I never met him, but through the many years I have been reading his various articles, I feel like he his an old friend that has touched us all in one way or another.
Written to Gary often. Always a kind and helpful reply. Met him at Hershey. Only wish this all were just a bad B-movie. Please turn off that movie!
Deepest sympathy to the Bunzer family. I never met Gary, but I will miss him just the same. So sad.
Sorry for this great loss to Gary’s family, friends, and those of us who never had the opportunity to meet him but still benefited tremendously from his generously shared knowledge.
I am so sorry for your loss. Deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
I am so sorry to hear about Gary’s death. Although I didn’t know him, as a reader of yours since 1999, I avidly read his articles. I know you and Gail are heartbroken. I suddenly lost my husband, the love of my life, 4 weeks ago. The pain is unbelievable. I will pray for Gary’s family. Stay safe!
Our condolences in the loss of your husband, Chris. So much very sad news these days. Take care. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Gary was a guiding light. He set the example of what a good friend should be. He always did his best to be patient with everyone. he tried to carve out some quality time with each one, and believe me, we were a lot. He always saw the good in people, and if he saw the bad, he certainly didn’t gossip about it. If you needed him, he was there and asking what he could do to help.
I believe that he would want us all to dwell on the happy times we shared with him, and let the sad memories fade. God will be there with him to carry him safely to his final resting place. God bless you Gary and rest in peace. We will all miss you.
So sorry for your loss, RIP, the RV community will miss your words of wisdom…..
Tears falling. For his family and all the other families. And for the heartless people saying how few are dying and that it is only the old and infirm.
I am shocked and deeply saddened. What a loss to our RV community and humanity. A great guy.
A horrible end to the last month of Gary’s journey. A wonderful man, loved by all who knew him personally as well as those who knew him through his pen. We extend sympathy and caring to his immediate family, to his extended family of RV Travel, and also to his widely dispersed family in the RV world who have depended on Gary for a clear, caring approach to helping them solve their RV problems.
I am so sorry to hear about the death of Gary. I have enjoyed his writing and videos for years. My thoughts go out to his family. Such a sad and scary time we are all going through.
i never skipped his Q & A. Even though I thought i know what he would say, his response was always far better than anything I could have said. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have seen him in person but I felt like i did know him. He will be missed by many. He was able to help so many people over the years and will be missed by all who knew or heard of him. My sympathies to all.
Gary will be missed whenever I try to fix something on the RV and for his bright spirit when communicating sometimes involved repairs in laymen’s language. WOW!
My heart hurts terribly, and my eyes are pouring down. To say we will miss that incredible human being is a huge understatement.
My condolences to Gary’s family. I will miss Gary’s advice articles. They were a great source of learning.
Chuck and Gail, staff and the entire Rv world: This is indeed a sad day in the RV world! Gary (alias “the RV Doctor”) was a learned long time member of the RV community. His advice and guidance on products, repairs and about anything else you could want to know about RV’s – well he was indeed the Doctor! God speed to Gary and peace to his family and friends. Remember the good times and be thankful he was who he was and that he chose to share his life with us.
Compassionate, empathetic, respectful, storyteller. songwriter/musician, funny, father-like, your best friend, your best neighbor, can-do, always did, first to lend a hand, smooth, professional, witty, intelligent, curious, always learning, kind, giving, held no grudges, creative, ambassador. charismatic, a great listener, a better man. I cannot believe he’s gone. Stunned.
I had the pleasure of taking Gary on a 8-hour, guided battlefield tour of Gettysburg after the 2018 Hershey show. He was most enthralled. He told me afterward that it was one of the top 5 things in life he had ever done. Coming from him, I was so filled with joy.
They just don’t make ‘em like that very often, but when they do, you just hope to be lucky enough to get to know them. I did. I’m grateful. And I’m so sad.
He will be missed. First class all the way.
There is nothing that I can say that has not been already said. So very sorry to hear of “Dr. Gary”. Prayers for his family, and all who will miss him!
I am so sorry for your loss, and Gail’s. When I clicked to see the next article and saw Gary died my stomach went to a knot. Life will be different for you and lots of others. But especially since he was a neighbor and best friend. Hang in there and take care of you and your family.
Dear Chuck
So sorry to hear of your loss of such a knowledgeable man and friend. I have always read Gary’s articles and come away with a new idea or sense of knowledge and understanding of the subject. I am always thankful that God allows people such as Gary to cross my path in life.
I also want to say that you Chuck are a great blessing to the Rv community. Daily I look forward to reading your column and site. I’m thankful for you as well. Keep up the great work.
We, too, want to add our condolences to the many. His was almost the first column I’d read every Saturday. We will miss him although we never met him in person.
Chuck, my heart goes out to Gary’s family, your friend & our RV Doctor.
His advice & friendship will be sorely missed.
God Speed
Oh my, so very sorry for your loss of a great friend. May God heal your hearts. Condolence to the entire family and friends.
I am so sad to hear about Gary. He will be very missed. Prayers for his family and friends.
RIP~ prayers for all his family & friends…
What a shame. That’s a great picture to remember him by. Thoughts and prayers go out to Debbie and the kids. Chuck, it’s tough to lose such a good buddy and I share your pain. Time heals most things and I hope it will for you too.
We have known Gary for many years and will miss him very much. Our deepest sympathies to his family as I know he adored his family and would always talk about them.
RIP Gary….someday I hope we will meet again.
So sad about Gary. He will be missed by the RV community. He was family
I’ve attended the Hershey RV show every year & have attended his seminars. He is as dear as you describe, & will be greatly missed 😢
& God will meet him at the gates, & say “well done, my good & faithful servant!”
I am so sadden to hear the news about Gary’s passing. Sending prayers the peace that only God can provide to you and Gail and Gary’s family..
How sad the loss of a good man and your friend and what a good man to help others
Sorry for your loss
Really sorry for your and the RV World’s loss. Sending prayers.
Oh no!! I am so sorry to hear about Gary’s passing and the loss of your dear friend.😢 I was praying that he would pull through this. May GOD give his family and friends the strength to get through this most difficult time. Lifting the Bunzer’s up in prayer!
Janet & Joe
I’m so sorry for your loss. Praying for comfort for all who knew him.
So sorry for your loss. His struggles are over and he is at peace now. May the memories of your friendship give you strength and comfort.
My heart feels the pain also. Gary is the best man I ever met to help in repairs. all the questions that were asked to him he could answer if not he would say it. My prayers go to his family and to you and Gail. And thank you for letting us know……Amen
May God bless and keep Gary and provide his family and friends peace.
My condolences, Chuck … Gary was a great friend and we were all truly blessed. My heart aches for Debbie, his daughters, family and friends. Sending my love and hugs to all … will continue to pray for Debbie. Thank you for your updates. Stay safe.
I am so sorry to hear about Gary’s death. Although I never met him, I felt as though I knew him.
I have read his advice for the past five years and learned so much from him. He will be greatly
missed in the rv community and by his family.
I too am saddened. I’ve only known Gary through RVTravel but I’ve always looked forward to his column. I’ve learned much from him. Condolences to his family. He’ll be missed.
We were at an RV show in Seattle some years ago. We took in an RV seminar and Gary was presenting. I really liked the way he responded to the many questions. He gave no indication of annoyance or lack of interest in some of the way out statements and questions coming from the audience. He was totally invested in that audience. Many will miss out on his thorough and positive delivery.
SO sorry, nice person. Great loss to RVers everywhere.
So sorry to hear of Gary’s death – we spent several days in his RV Basics Class @ FMCA Rally in Perry and talked with him last Fall @ Hershey. A truly gentle man that loved our industry and the people that are in it. May GOD bless his family.
So Sad, RIP Gary.
Gary was such a generous person. Whenever I read one of his articles that I knew would be well received in the RV club newsletter I edited for 12 years, Gary always…ALWAYS…gave his reprint permission. He was a fine and gentle man and will be missed by those of us who knew him…even if that “knowing” was only via email. May God’s peace be felt by his family.
A super nice man who always made you feel like you were his friend. He was a GEM. God Bless his Family.
I am so very sorry for your loss, Chuck. It is so devastating to lose someone, especially one so close to you. Prayers for you and Gail and Gary’s family. May you all meet again one day.
I am very sorry you lost your dear friend. RIP Gary.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from him at FMCA conventions. Each seminar was well done with great information and no question was ever put down as a dumb one. Gary would patiently address each one and would ask that further questions be held if his presentation was running long. In the words of George Jones “Who’s going to fill his shoes”
So sorry for your loss and Gail’s and Debbie’s and his girls. I am so sad for the loss to the RVing community. He will be greatly missed.
Sorry to hear about Gary! May God Bless his family and friends in this time of sorrow and loss!
I attended a few of Gary’s seminars at the FMCA rallies. Gary was one of the most knowledgeable RV presenters, I learned alot from him!
On a personal note, Gary sat with me after one of his seminars trying to figure out what was wrong with my son’s RV refrigerator while he was away camping. Gary actually sat and talked to my son Chris on the phone trying to diagnose the problem so Chris and his family could continue their camping vacation. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who can replace Gary Bunzer!! 😔
So so sad
So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, Chuck. I’m crying right now because I just found out a friend of mine has stage four liver cancer and not long to live now. I’m closer to his wife, and she couldn’t bear to tell any of us until now. I’m going to be there for her on the phone (we now live 9 hours away). I’m just so sad because, my friend, too, is such a great guy.
We’re very sorry to hear about your friend(s), Michelle. There’s just too much sadness these days. I’ve been crying since last night, when I learned about my buddy Gary. It’ll get a little easier each day. I still can’t believe it, and can’t imagine what his wife and daughters and grandkids are going through. I lost a young friend to cancer a month ago, and another friend to COVID-19 two weeks ago. I know you’ll be strong for your friend, but also remember to take care of yourself. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Our prayers are with you and his family.
Oh my virtual friend Chuck. My heart goes out to all who knew and cared for your friend Gary. I am sad for his family. I am sad for you and Gail. I have read what he wrote on occasion and I am also sad that there will be no more sage suggestions from him. So please relay my condolences to his family and let them know we care.
Ah, Chuck, that’s bad news. Very sorry.
remember this for strength: our body exists for our spirit
The spirit lives on and it seems your Gary is so true to this.
Thanks for sharing the update and the deep feelings.
I was personally very touched.
I like to believe he was not in any discomfort or dis – ease.
This is so sad, just have read his articles forever and really helped me in my RV Maintenance and Repair. I always thought he seemed like just a nice person, he will be sorely missed – thank you for keeping him there for us and sorry for your terrible loss.
Dennis,
I LOVED READING GARY’S ARTICLES, HE WILL BE MISSED. MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. REMEMBER FAITH, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS WILL HELP EASE YOUR GRIEF AND AID IN THE HEALING (ALONG WITH TIME). REST IN PEACE GARY AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED AND MISSED BY MANY.
This is so sad. My family and I were so fortunate to do a show with him in the Adirondack (RV Road-trips, I think 2006). He left us with good memories. May he Rest In Peace.
This made me choke up hearing this very sad news.
So sorry to hear , My Dad and I always looked forward to his articles . Helped us a lot through the years . Prayers for his family and friends
I enjoyed his articles and learned a lot from him. God bless his family.
This virus is taking so many of our senior citizens; our youths wisdom is being taken from them
My husband is 81 and in a nursing home and I’m at home at 75; we wonder if we’ll be next
Yes we will all miss the adorable Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). I had the great pleasure of meeting Gary at a show in the spring several years ago. I approached him and introduced myself. At the time I was selling H2Out dehumidifiers and asked him if he would run tests on the dehumidifiers. He said he would stop by my booth and check them out. Gary stopped by and was impressed with the dehumidifiers. I gave him the largest one we had to test. Because of his exhaustive schedule it was some time before he was able to run the test. His tests were positive and recommended people give the H2Out dehumidifiers ago at sucking the moisture in their rigs.
From then on every show I was at I made a point of looking Gary up and saying “Hello”!
God Bless Gary for all the great things he did for us all and his friendship.
I showed up at Hershey 13-years ago freshly retired and knowing nothing about RVs except that my wife and I wanted to try it out. After two sessions at the show with Gary, many of those questions were answered. We didn’t realize how lucky we were to have this always smiling and gracious resource just when we needed it. Over the years he was our go to guy to make our RV experience a happy one. Our thoughts And prayers go out to his family.
Met Gary at FMCA and Other rally’s over the years. Enjoyed his seminars and articles he produced for many years. My wishes go to his family. Thanks for the knowledge and friendship. We will miss you.
Mes sympathies à toute la famille
So sorry and sad to hear of the passing of Gary. Always enjoyed reading his articles. Anything he authored, I would read cause I knew I would learn something from it. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and close friends at this time.
It is difficult to imagine our industry without Gary Bunzer in it. Gary touched so many people inside our industry and outside our industry. He was one of those people that you were always happy to see because of the way he lived his life and gave so much, to so many, and never asked for anything in return. He simply wanted people to enjoy the benefits of the RV lifestyle, whether it was weekend camping, long vacations or as full-timers. I first met Gary in 1996 when he was leaving the original RV News Magazine and I was asked to join the publication as a rookie reporter. Through the years our paths would cross many times and we became good friends. Our annual media gatherings for dinner at the Hershey/PRVCA show were always something to look forward to. Gary was a great ambassador for our industry, and a tremendous resource for anybody who has ever owned an RV. Our thoughts and prayers are with Debbie, his family, the RV Travel staff and the entire RV industry at the loss of this legend we all had the privilege of knowing, working with, sitting in on one of his seminars or reading many of his countless articles that he published through the years. I will miss him greatly, but I’m a better person having known him through the years. He taught everybody something and has left us with many memories to sustain us through this great loss to the RV communities he helped build.
Terribly sad news. I learned so much about RV maintenance from Gary’s videos and articles. He will be greatly missed.
I have been keeping an eye on news about Gary. Hopefully good news. Unfortunately this news was not what I was expecting to hear. The RV community has suffered a great loss but not as great a loss as his family and close friends. My thoughts and prayers go out to these people.
RIP Gary 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Always drank in Gary’s advice. He was so knowledgeable. Even though I never had the privilege to meet him in person, I felt that he was like a friend. Gary was one of the “good guys” in the RV industry. My condolences to his lovely wife, daughters and grandchildren and to his RV family. Chuck, I know you and Gail are mourning the passing of a very dear friend as is the entire RV community. May we all remember his words of wisdom and for those lucky enough to have spent time with him, may your happy memories sustain you now and in the future.🙏
I never have the right words to say at a time like this. Prayers go out to Gary’s family and friends. Though i did not know him, i enjoyed reading his columns. I’m very sorry for your loss and the loss of a good man.
So sad. He’s like a friend who comes into our house every week. He will be missed by many.
I am devastated to hear this news. Gary was such a great man and friend. I feel blessed to have known him, and very sad I will not see him again. Many prayers go out to his entire family and friends. Until we meet again Gary. 🙏
This is so sad. Gary was a great source of information and a great guy! He truly will be missed. Prayers for his family.
We here at RV Safe T send our thoughts and prayers to Gary’s family and all who knew him. He was a good man and his knowledge and experience will be greatly missed in the RV Industry.
I am so very sorry for the loss of Gary. My prayers go out to his family and his friends everywhere. When we first started RVing and were total novices, we learned just about all the most important things from Gary’s articles. Can’t even imagine how we would have muddled through without his knowledge and advice. It’s such a tragic loss to so many people. It is a very sad day indeed. Rest in peace, kind man.
Wow, what a loss to the RV world. And of course, his world. His family & friends inside & outside the RV world. I only knew him through his articles as the RV Doctor, but learning of his death because of covid-19 hits me harder than any other to date. It made it so much more real than all of the other inconveniences we have endured through this horrid virus. Fortunately for me, it has been a friend of a friend or a relative of a friend that has succumbed. No one that I knew personally. But Gary’s death makes you feel like you actually lost someone that you really knew. Your mind immediately goes to the many stories that you have read about so many RV issues , the forums of individuals questions and his in depth answers. Whether in RV.com or some other RV publication his articles were always my “go to” pages to read first. What kind of RV issues are people asking about today, and what insight will Gary share with us? Is it an issue that I might have had to deal with already? Or is it one that I might likely have in the future? I had better save this for future reference! Gary has helped so many people in one way or another. He will be missed by so many people near and far, whether it be at home, in his articles, at numerous RV shows & rallies, perhaps around a campfire, and yes, sitting around having a few beers and laughs with family & friends. If there is someone who can pick up his torch, they have big shoes to fill. Rest in peace Gary.
I am so sorry to hear of Gary’s passing. He will really be missed by all of us who followed his helping all of us with our RV problems. GOD BLESS
My heart goes out to you and all of Gary’s loved ones. May he rest in peace.
So so sorry to hear of Mr. Bunzer passing away from this terrible Covid! When we first started RVing, his articles were the first I started reading. All our problems could be solved by his input as newbies. Our condolences to his family and friends. My he Rest In Peace.
So very, very sorry for this loss of a very special RV Travel friend. Condolences to his family and all the RV Travel people.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bunzer family. We have listened and watched videos with Gary for the many years we have been RVing. Even though we never met, after watching him and reading articles by him we felt that we did know him. Rest in Peace Gary!!!
So hard to go thru a loss like that, he must have been very special. Prayers for you all.
So sorry to read of his passing. Met Gary personally at numerous FMCA rallies.
He will be greatly missed.
From a member of his Canadian followers.
OMG!! I’m so sorry for the loss of Gary!!! He sure knew what he was talking about when it came to RV repair!!! His videos helped us many times and his columns!! R.I.P. Gary
Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. Thoughts and prayers for you and his family.
What terrible news
What a terrible loss to the RV community
I never met this gentleman but I have been thinking and hoping that he was progressing but when I got this news I actually cried for someone I never met.
😥
Yes, Sharon, he was worth a cry whether you had met him or not. I’ve been crying since Chuck told me Friday night. A huge loss for everyone, whether RVers or not. Gary and I were supposed to go shooting at my remote mountain property, probably this summer. I’ve never known a nicer, more decent person in my 73 years. As I said in a previous comment, I’m going to mark a paper target with a big, black “COVID-19” on it and shoot the heck out of it with my .357 magnum S&W for Gary the next time I go up to my property — probably in a couple of weeks. There will never be another Gary Bunzer — he was one of a kind. 😥 —Diane aka Mountain Mama
Deepest condolences to the family, both immediate and RV family. His expertise will be missed.Take care and be safe.
RIP Gary.
You will be missed by the entire R v Community.
Thanks for all you have done for us.
Gary was truly one of the RV industry good guys. During the years that we both wrote for RV Travel, I would sometimes get asked questions by readers of my boondocking column that went beyond my technical expertise, and I would forward them to Gary for his opinion/answer. He was never too busy or too uninterested to not write back and say he would answer the reader himself. I greatly appreciated it and knew that Gary was more interested in helping out a fellow RVer than promoting his own column. I will miss Gary, as all RVers who knew him will also.
Gary has and will continue to touch countless lives as a cherished member of the rvtravel family.
His memory will live on forever in all of our hearts, a wonderful gift. Peace and comfort to all those who are mourning the passing of our much missed friend.
Mike and I met Gary several times at our RV Safety conferences we attended in KY. He was always devoted to teaching us RV newbies how to maintain our rigs, and stay safe. Kind, gentleman and really a top shelf guy. Gary was the real deal guys, and the world especially our small RV world is now missing a bright beautiful light that he was for all of us. Prayers to his sweetheart Debbie and children and grandchildren, I know they are bereft at this time.
Such a tragic loss; his kindness, wisdom, insight, and expertise helped us get into RVing wisely and find great enjoyment. He’ll be missed – may he Rest In Peace 🙏
Gary was not only a friend, but the best at what he did. He will be missed by so many. RIP Doc!
We have been camping for many years, but there was always something new that I could learn from Gary. You will be missed by many. God bless your family.
He will be missed. We enjoyed reading his commentary and learned much. While we all may miss him, his family and immediate friends are hurting greatly so our thoughts and prayers go out to them. May his memory be a source of strength for them.
I enjoyed his insightful information. My husband and I are somewhat challenged in knowing what to do with our rv when problems come up. His info was always so helpful. I’m sad to hear of his passing. Covid-19 is a terrible enemy.
Gary is in the arms of our Loving Lord and Savior! So very sad for his wife, family and all of his friends who will so devastatingly miss him. I had the wonderful chance to spend an entire day chatting with him in 2019, Elizabethtown KY about his greatest love; his heavenly Father and his family. We talked about the joy of salvation and how amazing Heaven will be, and we talked about walking in this life and serving God at the same time. He told me God had blessed him more than a man deserves. What a treasure his words were. Sing, play your guitar and praise our God in Heaven Dear Friend.
God bless his soul and the hearts of his family and friends. I’m sorry for your loss. He will be missed. Gary Bunzer, “The RV Doctor”, and Chuck Woodburry, “RV Travel”, have been my trusted go-to’s for anything and everything RV related. Hearing of Gary’s passing puts a hole in my heart and I never had the privilege of meeting him other than watching his videos, reading his blog, and catching different TV programs he was a part of, but those videos, articles and shows made me feel like I was a part of the conversation and I learned a lot from him. I have every confidence that he was met at the Pearly Gates with a “job well done”. Prayers going up for his family and friends to find peace and comfort in this difficult time.
Although I have never met Gary Bunzer, I can say that I have seen so many of his videos, whether they being, RV item reviews or “How To Repair Whatever” videos, that I can consider him a “Virtual Friend”. Now there will never be any new videos, to further the RV experience, while helping those from the RV neophyte to the elder longtime RV full-timer. One can receive, a little bit of comfort, that Gary will have left a vast store of such videos, which can and will be, no doubt, accessed by all, for information on a myriad of subjects RV. Godspeed and R.I.P. It has been a pleasure. Christopher Cronk – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I’m so sorry.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I hate this virus
My sympathy to the family and friends. Positive thoughts and healing prayers to all Rv travelers that read, enjoyed and will truly miss Gary! God Bless and safe travels
Where do I begin? Personally, Gary was a teacher and mentor, but more than that, a patient friend and moral and professional compass. I know I have been blessed to have his and many other friends and teachers in the RV community, but when I talk about my “mentor” in the RV industry, as a technician and writer, I mean Gary Bunzer. Sometimes there were long times between calls or get togethers, but it was always like we had just seen each other yesterday. Interestingly, I never made it to Seattle to visit Gary or Chuck, but for years we saw each other at Louisville, Hershey, and sometimes in Elkhart. As many others have said here, Gary was never too busy to answer a question or share in his experience and knowledge. Besides being a man of God, and a teacher to so many of us in both the RVing community and the RV industry, Gary was a patriot, having served in the Navy as a Seabee. There’s no question as to his technical and teaching ability, but his groundedness, common sense, and overall decency will always be the pinnacle I will work to achieve. I doubt I’ll ever get there. Godspeed, my friend, and I hope you get to do some pickin’ and grinnin’ with a golden Martin up there. And, may God bless and support Debbie and the family at this impossible time.
Thank you Chris Dougherty for sharing about Gary. I will surely miss him at the FMCA Rallies. He was a giver and not a taker. I look forward to seeing him with other saints who have gone on before us. I was on his ask the experts panel and always enjoyed his sense of humor. He did a video of our booth at Perry one time and never asked for anything. He always encouraged me to keep on educating others. Like Jesus he was a giver. May God comfort you my friends as we miss this RV Industry Great!
I did not have the pleasure to meet Gary, but I have enjoyed his writings for many years. What a great man to share his expertise with others.
My sincere sympathy on the tragic loss of our rv friend.
SO very, very sorry for the loss of your dear friend, Gary. I never knew him, other than through your writings and reading some of his articles. The world has clearly lost a wonderful man, and I cannot begin to imagine the heartache you and Gail feel, or his wife, daughters and grandchildren. RIP Gary.
I learned a lot reading his articles, a sad day for rv’ers everywhere. Our condolences to his family and rv family.
This is so heartbreaking to hear! My wife and I had the pleasure of attending one of his seminars at the Hershey RV show last fall. He was a delight to listen to showing such enthusiasm for the work (I don’t think he thought of it that way) he was doing. My sincere condolences to his family. Rest in peace Gary!
To all of Gary’s students: I know we all feel a great loss, but, if Gary wanted us to remember anything he has taught us, he wants us to remember “Keep it CLEAN, DRY, and TIGHT”
And TROUBLESHOOT!!!
I enjoyed listening to him he had such a calming voice. He was a great source of information to all of us. Especially when I was first starting out. I will miss his insight and wisdom.
Gary will always want his students to remember him by always remembering to “Keep it Clean, Dry, & Tight”
Thanks for a little humor to soften this huge loss! I think he’d like that you said this.
My deepest sympathy to all of the Bunzer family. Gary is a great guy and will continue to influence many including me. I contacted Gary 6 years ago through a mutual acquaintance to ask if he would do a review of my new RV product. Despite not knowing me or my product he agreed and that was the start of a great friendship. We talked many times at the Hershey show over the years and he would always ask how I am doing and how is the product selling. He had the ability to make me feel like I was the most important thing in his life at that moment. He was genuine, kind and like myself a guitar player. He remember from one year to the next I played and brought me one of his guitar picks. If he treated me like that, I can’t imagine your loss. I hope these words are some comfort to you, knowing what an impact Gary has had. The best tribute I can offer is that I want to be more like Gary. Thank you for supporting Gary and allowing him to be the man he was. Rest In Peace Gary.
Oh I am so very upset to read this here today, this was the man who showed me everything I needed to learn when I purchased my very first RV and then when I purchased my second from watching all of his videos and talking to him at the Seattle RV shows. I am so deeply saddened and shocked as I had been following any updates on his condition while he battled this awful beast of a virus. I am so very shocked and sad that I don’t know what else to say….he was a great human being and will be missed by so many in this RV world but his videos will always remain online where we can still hear his cheery voice and still learn from him. My heart and prayers go out to all his friends and family and as a widow myself I send prayers of love and compassion to his wife that she have the strength to get through this! ♥️🙏
I had the pleasure of meeting Gary twice at the Seattle RV shows at Century Link. Attended some of his workshops when we were looking for a motorhome to buy, and then a few more after we got our Class A. His loss will be felt far beyond his family and friends – he had a wealth of ‘Institutional Knowledge’ that was as unique as he was. So many builders folded during the Great Recession, and I’m sure some will be lost in this pandemic, but Gary knew the idiosyncrasies of many of their designs and materials. He once coached me through the best way to dump my waste tanks (I mean, it seems simple enough, but a splash of the grey tank first to ensure no spills makes perfect sense now….).
At any rate, our family will miss his articles, his knowledge and send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Stay home for now, stay safe always, and see you down the celestial road, Gary.
Oh my . . . I am so, so, very sorry to lose such a talented person. Such as good heart. I watched closely looking for news of him and then to see this. My heart goes out to his family and to all of his close friends, including you and Gail.
Rest In Peace Gary. You were a wealth of information for many new RVers.
Gary was a very respected RV Tech, his knowledge was so vast and he gave it freely, I was saddened to hear of his passing, my sincere condolences to his family.
What a great loss to the RV community. Gary Bunzer was a true gentleman. I had the privilege of attending many of Gary’s tech seminars and, I ALWAYS learned something useful. My condolences to Gary’s family.
I loved reading his articles with his wealth of information. So sad. Praying for his family.
Even before purchasing our first RV, we watched Gary on his RV Doctor tv show, expertly and graciously explaining the technical Whys and Why Nots of RVing. He inspired us to believe that we, too, could be RVers — and it was a pleasure to tell him so at a Grand Design rally in Indiana a couple years back. Keep the wheels rolling, Gary. Meet you on the other side.
Gary Bunzer meant the world to me. I always told him that I was his biggest fan. He knew it.
It’s taken me a few days to accept this loss.
I followed Gary online for several years. In 2013 he was at the Hershey Show doing a seminar. I went to the Hershey show JUST to attend his seminar. He had never met me before. As I was walking down the corridor at Hershey I saw him walking up and I freaked out and told my boyfriend “THERE HE IS! I want a picture with him!”
Gary looked at me like I was crazy when I approached but he let me get a picture with him. I felt like I met Cher. It was amazing.
We made a connection. He introduced me to the RV business that I am in now and he supported me by giving me advice and encouragement. Seeing him at rallies always started with a big hug and him asking me “Why did you bring your father?” (My boyfriend).
If we were at the same rally and I was doing a seminar, he would walk through the door and come up stage and give me a hug. If he was doing a seminar and I was there he would invite me up to introduce myself and my business.
My heart is so broken. I have looked so forward to seeing him everywhere and anywhere.
I’ll always be your biggest fan! Your legacy lives in my heart. I will promote you and your knowledge forever!.
Chuck very very sad to learn of the passing of your good mate Gary.
I to lost my Best Mate Mooer a few years back & I still think of him regularly…
But thinking of the Old Good Times together with him make the memories stay Strong..
So at the end of each week when you open that bottle …🍾
. Remember the 1st glass is to Gary a Bloody Good Mate … 🍷
Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
We are with you all the way .🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
My husband, Phil and I are so sorry to hear about Gary Bunzer.
I learned a lot from Gary, he will truly be missed.
Chuck – I did not know Gary; I don’t know you. But your pain is palpable. I’m so sorry for your and Gail’s loss. Your readers are thinking of you and sending condolences.
The RV World lost a very dear friend to all. RIP Gary……you will be dearly missed.
I an sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace and comfort.
He was so much Life! My heart aches for us, yet the Heavens have scored big time! Wish I could’ve at least said Good bye, Dear One. What a legacy you’ve left!. Hope to catch up soon. You were stellar, my friend. Thank you for your beautiful friendship. Much love to those left behind
Sorry for your loss.
Peace.
Read many many of his articles. Learned much about RVs thru his training. May God take care of of him. God bless
Beautiful sentiments. You were blessed to have him in your life.
No words other than please accept my condolences.
Truly sorry for your loss and to all his friends as well.
So sorry to hear this dreadful news. Gary was a wonderful friend as well as a great person to do business with. Always looked forward to sharing stories and good lunch with him when visiting Seattle. Struggling to take this in as he was so full of life and energy
Chuck, So sorry to hear of Gary’s passing, my wife and I met him at the Hershey RV show and attended several of his clinics over the years. He was such a nice guy and will be truly missed. Our Sincere Condolences to his family and you and the RV community.
My Condolences to family and friends and I’m sending prayers of strength and understanding during this difficult time.
Deepest sympathies to you and Gary’s family. So sad to learn of another great person and great American succumbing to this cheap shot virus. I’ve learned and shared much from both of you. God’s comfort be with you.
Really sorry for his family I know the RV people will truly miss him I know for sure I will in east TN
I am so sorry for Gary Bunzer’s family, all the friends he knew he had, and all the RV friends he didn’t know were out here being his friend, too. I’m one of those last kind. I can’t begin to count the number of times his sage advice saved me not only time, but money, too. I relied on his advice because he knew what he knew! I could tell from his writing that he was a good guy; the world is a bit darker now.
Thank you, Chuck, for this post and the opportunity for friends of Gary to share their grief. Coming from another sphere of Gary’s life, his musical life, I counted him among my best friends. Gary was a wonderful guitarist and song writer. We played in many jams together. He was kind and warm and truly interested in other people and their stories. He made everyone feel special. I am heartbroken knowing I will never see him again and we’ll never play another tune. He was a treasure. God bless his soul and bless his family.
“Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.”
― William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Such sad news 🙏🙏🙏 for his family
So sorry to hear about Gary Bunzer’s death.
His RV advice was always so helpful.
Though I didn’t know him personally, it is obvious from the comments, that his life blessed many. It is also obvious he must have been a man of God.
If we also will accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, as Gary apparently had, we will have the opportunity to spend eternity with him in heaven.
Our prayers are with his family and the large RV family he had as well.
Very sad. So wonderful to hear that Mr. Gary Bunzer lived a fulfilling life of love. Chuck, I share your grief and may God Bless the Bunzer family and loved ones and all his friends.
I may have posted this twice. Sorry, if so.
I’m very sad to learn of Gary’s death! He’s been a guiding light for many, an incredible teacher & good friend to many. I’m new to RVing, bought my used 24′ Minnie Winnebago a year ago. Before doing so, I attended RV Shows in the Seattle area to learn as much as I could before a purchase. I attended his classes then, and again at the most recent show, this time only to get to go to his classes. His teaching was thorough & so understandable, complete with printed diagrams & explanations. I’m pleased to have had his moral support as a widowed woman (of a certain age) in owning & operating my own rig. He gave me advice and encouragement. I was looking forward to attending his classes again, even tho the subjects would be the same. Always something new to learn. I will use all he has left for us online.
I imagine he’s had a great influence on the promotion of safe & enjoyable RV-ing!. This time he was pleased to announce a new & extensive RV mechanic training program which I’m sure he had a hand in implementing. Such a kind, pleasant guy with a fount of knowledge, patience for the repeated questions of his students, a great sense of humor, & certainly someone to want to emulate. A giant of a man! I barely knew him & am really grieving his passing. This virus is ugly, so I know he really had to have suffered before his death. God bless him and his family, and all who are his friends and followers!
I’m very sorry to hear of this. Watched many of his videos. Always helpful. Prayers to his family and friends.
😢😭🙏🏻
Yesterday I found a video that explained to me what was causing my rv problem. I had never heard of Gary but the short video explained so well what I needed to know, in such a clear and friendly manner. I felt grateful immediately.
Today I fixed my converter in minutes for no cost and went looking for a way to thank the man.
We have lost a truly good man to this horrible disease. This is so wrong.
Anyway thank you, Gary for being the good man you were. You have left a legacy for us.
Bob Enns
Beaverlodge Alberta
Canada
Hi chuck my name is Samuel Warren jr i just fund out that Gary has passed . I can not believe it !
i have know Gary for about 8yrs just about 4mos. ago he contacted me letting me know he was going to be in Fredericksburg Va and he said maybe we get together. We did not get together but i have been calling him and i was wondering why i have not heard back from.
Chuck please reach out to me. We were accountability Brothers and he was a mentor to me
my email mighty4111@gmail.com
Samuel, I will send you an email about this.
Hello Chuck &Gail, Just reading of Gary’s passing. So extremely sad at that news…. We met you and Gary at the Hershey show 5-6 years ago. Long story short: sold our MH and bought beach property on the Outer Banks ( OBX) of North Carolina, 4 years have passed, we just purchased a 2017 Dynamax 24TB… layout is exactly as a Winne View, that we enjoyed. At 75 no cross country trips planned, just short excursions from our real home in Virginia. Glad to be back, and yes 18 months, it’s still a shocker! , RIP Gary….