Gary Robert Vice

Gary Robert Vice, 72, of Mesquite, Nevada passed away peacefully on April 20, 2024, surrounded by family. He was born July 20, 1951, in Van Nuys, California to Fred and Georgia (Gray) Vice. He spent much of his childhood in Barstow, California but later moved to Fullerton. California. He graduated from Troy High School in 1969 where he played safety for the Football team. He attended Cal State Fullerton and eventually joined the US Army and served as a sergeant in Army Intelligence during the Vietnam

War. After being honorably discharged, he took his training and experience and became a polygraph examiner and Private Investigator in California, owning his own company Gary Vice Investigations and Internal Control Security and Loss Prevention. In 1981, he met the love of his life, Carolyn Stark. They were married on July 4, of that year in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gary loved antiques, art, and gems and minerals and, in 1991, started a gold panning attraction at Calico Ghost Town, where he shared his love of rockhounding and taught people from around the globe how to pan for gold. With his excellent people skills, he moved on to selling real estate becoming a manager and top seller in the Palm Springs, California area. In retirement, he further pursued his passions by starting a rock and antique business where he traveled the United States with Carolyn, selling a variety of gems and minerals and antique books, stocks, and maps. He also became an accomplished artist, being featured in the local art gallery and paper. Gary was a hard and dedicated worker, who on his free time, loved to travel and fish with his family. His favorite places to travel were the Sierra Nevada Mountains to fish and hike the streams and lakes there, Hawaii, where he fell in love with the people, culture, and the landscapes, and he loved spending time in the desert exploring whatever was over the next hill. 

Wherever he went or whatever he was doing, his family was in the forefront of his thoughts and actions. Gary loved his family very much and loved sharing adventures with them and his furry companions. Gary was a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. We will miss him every day and all the joy he brought to his family and friends. We know he is always with us.

Gary is survived by his wife Carolyn Vice; son, Garrett (Candice) Vice; granddaughter, Aurelia Vice; sister, Sherrie (Bill) Parker; nieces, Spice, Pleasant, and Cookie Vice and Lauren Parker; nephews, William and David and Tristan; and four-legged best friend, Goofy. Preceded in death by his parents Fred and Georgia Vice, his brother, Craig Vice and his four-legged companions Tumbles, Sunburst, Ladybug, and Stormy.

If you would like to pay your respects, Gary is interred at the Mesquite City Hardy Way Cemetery in

Mesquite, Nevada. Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at the Sun City Mesquite Pioneer Center in the Veterans Hall 1350 Flat Top Mesa Dr. Mesquite NV 89034. We invite friends and family to leave condolences or memories at www.starmortuary.com.