Gary Lee Boughten, 57, suffered an apparent heart attack on May 11 and passed away Friday, June 15, 2018, after several complications.

The youngest of six children, Gary was born on June 13, 1961, to Richard and Lenora (Andersen) Boughten in Austin, Minnesota. He grew up in Rose Creek, Minnesota, and graduated in 1979 from Southland High School in Adams, Minnesota. He moved to Oklahoma for work and met his devoted wife of 32 years, Kimberly (Young). The couple married May 3, 1986, and had two children, Brittany and Jake.

Gary took wood shop classes in high school and discovered a talent for woodworking. He turned his talent into a trade as a carpenter. Gary designed and built cabinets, mantles, tables and other wood installments across Oklahoma in homes and various banks, businesses and churches, including his family church. He was especially proud of the work he did at B.C. Clark’s Jeweler’s downtown location. Father Constantine Nasr at St. Elijah’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church told Gary his hands were “blessed by God.” His trade was so much a part of him that he almost always had a carpenter’s pencil nearby, tucked behind his ear or in a pocket. He painted his tools pink to make sure borrowed tools returned quickly.

He was a loyal employee, working for Contemporary Cabinets for 24 years. As a journeyman carpenter, he trained many apprentices. He was a very hard worker and a perfectionist on the job. While he showed respect to his crew, Gary also wanted his ‘hand’ and crew to share his work ethics and expectations.

Though he worked hard, he played with an almost ‘child-like’ approach. His favorite playmate was his 4-year-old granddaughter, Braylee, with whom he shared many swimming, fishing, bike riding, and park playing adventures.

The annual Boughten family camping trip at Cass Lake, Minnesota, gave Gary time to fish with his favorite No. 5 crawdad lure while wearing his floppy hat. His nieces and nephews, and more recently great nieces and nephews, recognized his “kid at heart” ability to get the whole family into a water balloon fight or playing games.

Gary was an active member of Putnam City United Methodist Church and enjoyed working on the kitchen crew for church dinners and manning the grill for cookouts.

Anyone who knew Gary knew he loved his family and animals, that he was a talented carpenter and was always ready for a rowdy, loud, fast and fun time, whether riding Sea Doos or four-wheelers, fishing or being with family.

Gary leaves his wife, Kim, of the home; daughter, Brittany and Justin and Ellie, Tyler and Ethan Templeman; son, Jake and Lainey, Braylee and Kinlee Sue Boughten; his mother, Lenora Boughten; brothers, Larry and Marie Boughten and Bob and Lori Boughten; sisters, Beverly and Ed Rice and Nancy Clancy; 21 nieces and nephews; 34 great-nieces and nephews; plus a host of in laws and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his father; his sister, Deb; nephew, Pat; and brother in law, Gary Clancy.

Services were held on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at Putnam City United Methodist Church, 5819 N.W. 41st Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73122.

Memorials in Gary’s name can be made to Putnam City United Methodist Church or to The Children’s Center in Bethany, Oklahoma, at https://www.miracleshappenhere.org/ways-to-give/donate/.