Brick Cary

Eular Harwood ‘Brick’ Cary was born June 8, 1925. He lived in Garden City, Missouri with his parents William Steele Cary, Sr. and Venita Esma Wheeler Cary. He was the middle child of three: his older brother, William Steele Cary, Jr.; and younger sister, Betty Lu (Hinton) Cary.

In 1943, Brick enlisted in the Navy, where he served on the aircraft carrier Savo Island as an Electrician’s Mate in the South Pacific until 1946, when his tour and WWII ended. He worked in Texas transporting heavy equipment for highway building. When he returned to Garden City, he worked for Roy L (Pete) Shifflett.

In 1951, he was introduced to his future wife, Mary Louise Covell, by a mutual friend, Doneta ‘Donnie’ Gatz, from Garden City, while Mary and Donnie were roommatesat Central Missouri State Teachers College, Warrensburg.

Brick and Mary were married in Garden City on April 22, 1953. Shortly thereafter, Brick worked at Westinghouse on a machinist apprenticeship. Over the next several years, Brick finished his apprenticeship and started working at Western Electric, a subsidiary of Bell Telephone, in Lee’s Summit. The family, which now included Denise Reneé, born 1954 and Bud (Cary Harwood), born 1958, moved to Grandview in 1958. Brian Steele was born in 1961.

Brick was a member of St. Matthews United Presbyterian Church, serving in the capacity of Elder for a period of time, but was more often seen on his riding lawn tractor, mowing the 7-acre tract of land St. Matthew’s called home. He was a 3rd Degree Blue Lodge Mason for over 50 years, at the Index Lodge, Garden City, Missouri.

Brick enjoyed collecting scale-model cars, owning very nice leather shoes, and visiting with people. It can be safely stated that Brick never met a stranger, and he made many friends with his outgoing and friendly manner. He had a love for life as contagious as his grin. He was devoted to blue-grass and country music and passionate about history. Summer vacations with children always included a stop at museums, battleships or points of interest. Brick loved his cars and trucks. His knowledge of makes and models was nearly encyclopedic. For everyday fun, he and Mary embarked on country drives. They were a close-knit and loving couple who did everything together.

Shortly after Brick retired from Western Electric in 1987, the couple traveled without children for the first time in their married life, visiting Mexico City, Canada and the western United States. Then they became snowbirds and joined other retired couples in the Rio Grande Valley. They settled in a retirement village in Mission, Texas and spent twenty-four seasons, for six months or more each winter, escaping the cold and embracing a new community of friends.

They returned to their home in Grandview when the drive became too much for them, and continued their service to St. Matthew’s church, enjoyed being closer to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, doting on the babies as often as possible.

Brick was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, his parents, his brother, his sister and her husband (Tom Hinton), and a granddaughter, Ashley Brooke Cary.

He is survived by all three of his children, Denise (Ronn) Phillips, Bud (Elaine) Cary, and Brian; grandchildren, Kendal Durham, Alyson (Nate) Thompson, Natalie (Frank) Vayo, Elizabeth (Walt) Craft, Ciera Cary; great-grandchildren, Luke, James, and Eliza Jane Craft, and many treasured nieces and nephews on both the Cary and Covell sides of the family.

A private family graveside will be held at the City Cemetery, Higginsville, Missouri.

Due to COVID, A Celebration of Life service will be held at a a later date.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dickey Funeral Home, Harrisonville, Missouri.