Our father, Gary Donnelly, passed away peacefully on Jan. 26, 2022, while at home surrounded by loved ones.

Gary was born in 1947 to his parents, Earl and Ada Donnelly. in Sheridan. Wyo. His big brother Jerry was his best sidekick and mentor and shaped who he was to become. He joined the navy where he served in Vietnam and was proud to have protected our freedoms.

After meeting Sherri Warner in college, the pair went on to eventually marry and adopt eight children, all from different backgrounds. They were then blessed with their biological son. Our large family was defined by love and laughter. Without Gary's love and support, the lives of many in our family would've been drastically different.

Gary was a special education teacher with the Anchorage School District, where his passion for helping young adults gain life independence was well known. After retiring from teaching, he spent a number of years with The Arc of Anchorage as their Associate Director.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents; loving wife, Sherri Donnelly; son, Adam Donnelly; and brother, Jerry Ellis. He is survived by his seven children, many grandchildren and countless friends.

We mourn the loss of our father and encourage any and all who knew him to remember the beauty he brought to this world. For any interested, a celebration of life will be held at the Arc of Anchorage, at a date to be determined. If you should feel so inclined, you can make donations to the Arc of Anchorage in Gary's name.