Gary Lloyd Mickle

Gary Lloyd Mickle, 81, long-time resident of Los Osos, California, died May 26 at his new home in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina. He and his wife Lani moved to North Carolina to be closer to two of their children, and they were very happy to host family gatherings with four of their offspring after their move in November. They welcomed son Kori and granddaughter Gabrielle from their home in Korea for a long stay in January-February of this year.

Gary, who often claimed he ‘hated school’, earned four degrees: BA and MA in Mathematics, an MA In Clinical Psychology, all from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and a ED.D. in Educational Finance from Brigham Young University. He was an educator and administrator at many levels, working for over twenty-seven years for Lucia Mar School District, where he served as Principal of Lopez Continuation High School for nine years in the 1980’s. Gary and Lani also worked as educators abroad, spending 1995-2002 at Brent International School Manila, where Gary served as Director of Admissions, and Middle School Principal along with other teaching and administrative assignments. From 2002 – 2004, they were in Chad, Africa, where Gary was Director of the American School serving embassy and military children. Upon their return to Los Osos in 2004, Gary became a part-time math teacher at Allan Hancock college, a job he continued to enjoy until his retirement in December, 2017.

Gary enjoyed traveling, and he and Lani and their children made many camping road trips in the north and southwest of the country as they were growing up. He and Lani also visited Hawaii and Mexico often, traveled to England, Poland, the Galapagos and Machu Picchu, Alaska, Kuala Lumpur, and India during summer holidays. While living in the Philippines, they visited China (often), Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bali. They also made at least ten cross-country (both ways) road trips once two of their offspring moved to the east coast. Once both were retired, they made their ‘big adventure’ trip: five months via bus, train and ferry boat through Scandinavia, St. Petersburg, the Baltic states, central Europe including Romania, a month in Turkey, a month in the U.K., and a visit to their son’s family in Korea on the way home. They visited Korea many times including for their son Kori’s traditional wedding in 2016, and a family holiday in Korea and the Philippines with daughter Sulae and her husband Eli, in 2019. Japan was also on the itinerary in 2019, with three weeks on the trains and staying with with warmly hospitable Servas hosts. 2020 brought their travels to a screeching pause, but they were off again to Korea and the east coast of the US as soon as possible in 2021. Their last trip abroad was a tour of Italy in the spring of 2022, un bel’ viaggio.

Gary was a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous, achieving his 57th ‘birthday’ on April 17, 2023. He was well-loved by many who he helped and well-remembered by most who encountered him. His students from around the world also remember him with laughter and respect. Gary is survived by his wife Lani (Steele), his sons Garrett Mickle (Nancy), Kori Mickle (Veronica), and Grant Harbaugh, daughters Richelle Mickle and Sulae Lagrotteria (Elijah), grandchildren Alyssa Mickle, Kira Strauss, Daniel and Gabrielle Choi Mickle, and Claire and Mason Harbaugh, and great-granddaughter Marley Mae Back.

Friends of Bill are planning a celebration of life to be held the weekend of the District 22 convention at the end of August.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/charlotte-nc-cremation for the Mickle family.