Gary was born in Klamath Falls, OR and moved to Enumclaw when he was two. He loved all sports and would go to Seattle with his dad to watch baseball. Seattle played in the Triple A league and he got to watch all three DiMaggio brothers play. His mother was a good cook, he especially loved her berry pies.
He attended White River High School, which, at the time, was a combination of Enumclaw and Buckley. He lettered three years each in football, basketball and baseball, and two years in golf. He was a student body officer and won the Chuck Smith Award for outstanding senior athlete.
After high school he didn’t have a clear vision of what he wanted to do, so he followed his friends, Jim Gard and Jake Thomas to Western Washington College in Bellingham. He lettered four years in basketball and was the inspirational player in his junior year and captain in his senior year. He also met Valerie Solie at Western and they were married in 1956. They both graduated in 1957. That same year he began teaching and coaching in Friday Harbor where he was the head coach in basketball and softball.
After two years in Friday Harbor, they moved to Enumclaw. At Enumclaw High School, he taught, counseled students, and was the 9th grade assistant football coach and sophomore basketball coach. Hea lso coached tennis for a year and started the cross-country program, was the JV basketball coach for two years under Ralph Sill and assisted Frank Osborne, the head baseball coach, in the baseball program. He became the head basketball coach in 1962, with Frank Lancaster as the assistant coach. They worked together for 25 years. During his 25 years of coaching, Enumclaw won 6 league titles (two undefeated), played in 10 district tournaments and won two district titles. They played in six state tournaments and placed in five. His state tournamentrecordwas11-9andhisoverallrecordwas312-261.In2002hewasinductedintotheWashington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Valerie passed away in 1976 and five years later Gary married Judy Hilton. They spent 30 years together traveling the world. Gary loved travelling and no trip was complete until he saw someone he knew. Gary and Judy spent many winters in Palm Springs. They had great friends and great times there.
Gary is survived by his children; Ron and Sue Radliff, Lynn Radliff and DC Bryan, Russ Radliff and Eve Baillargeon, and Reese Radliff and Ronnie Feil. His grandchildren; Joshua and Julia Radliff, Jorden Radliff and Savannah Young, Dylan, Landon, Payton, and Isabelle. His great grand-children; Nanna and Fiona.
A memorial party will be held at the Enumclaw High School Gymnasium on Saturday, August 3 from 12:00-4:00.