Gary Wade Drinkwater

August 19, 1944 — December 12, 2014
Gary Wade Drinkwater passed away on Dec. 12, 2014, at home in Baton Rouge. He was born Aug. 19, 1944, in Franklin and was the youngest of five sons born to his parents, Minor Earl Drinkwater and Jessie Shoemaker Drinkwater.
Gary was a graduate of Plaquemine High School and LSU. He retired from J. Ray McDermott in 2000 after 26 years of service. His father and all four brothers were also employed by and retired from McDermott.
Gary was a captain in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as a pilot with the 170th Helicopter Company of the 52nd Aviation Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.
Gary was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Central Lodge 442 F&AM, Scottish Rite, Vietnam Veterans of America, LSU Alumni Association, Cadets of the Ole War Skule, and the Louisiana Art and Artists’ Guild. He was a former senior warden of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Franklin and reigned as King Sucrose LXIII in 2003 for the Krewe of Sucrose in Franklin.
Following his retirement, Gary pursued a lifelong interest in painting. He delighted in displaying and presenting his art to friends and family and enjoyed developing a site featuring the complete body of his artworks with daughter Allison.
Gary is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Karen Bourgoyne Drinkwater; two daughters, Amanda Kaye Drinkwater and husband, Robert Myers, of Highland Village, Texas, and Allison Drinkwater Johnson and husband, Samuel Johnson, of Salt Lake City, Utah; and three grandchildren, Gabriel, Elias Luca and Evangeline Johnson. He is also survived by his brother, Charles “Bud” Drinkwater, of Central; sisters-in-law, Inez Drinkwater, of Centerville, and Sharon Drinkwater White of Addis; special cousin, John Lee Drinkwater, of St. Gabriel; his Bourgoyne in-laws, Barbara Bovard, Carol Roberts, Cliff Bourgoyne, Roger Bourgoyne and Yvonne Thomas; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his brothers, Jack Drinkwater, of Centerville, Arthur Drinkwater, of Baton Rouge, and Donald Drinkwater, of Plaquemine.
A visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home (Downtown location), 825 Government St. in Baton Rouge, from 5 to 8 p.m. today, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Funeral services will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, at 11 a.m., with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Patten and Dr. Stringfellow and the entire staff of Our Lady of the Lake Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center as well as Dr. Hau, Mike Williams, R.N., and the staff of the Veterans Administration Clinic in Baton Rouge.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The Leukemia Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org.