Gary Jason Gate (Gaz) was born December 30th, 1974, to W. Larry and Dianne (Gulbrandsen) Gate of Keewatin, Ontario. Gary passed away on Friday February 20th, 2026, in Thunder Bay due to a short but brave battle with cancer, surrounded by love, with his loving wife of 24 years, Carrie Gate by his side.
Gary is survived by his wife Carrie, daughters Sidney and Cassandra Gate. Parents W. Larry and Dianne Gate. Siblings Juliann Richens (Ron), Laura Fowler (Rob). Numerous nieces and nephews and mother-in-law Brenda Rainville (Kelvin). Gary was predeceased by Grandparents Cecil and Mabel Gate, Jorgen and Henrietta Gulbrandsen.
Gary loved to spend time with his wife and daughters, whether it was a Jets games or road-tripping to hockey tournaments. His best moments were spent taking care of his Mom and Dad and raising his daughters. He enjoyed playing baseball with Voodoo in the Kenora Men’s Slo-Pitch league. He loved hockey, whether it was watching Toronto Maple Leafs or coaching many teams over the years, creating lifelong bonds with players and families. He was very proud to be a part of these amazing organizations. Gary could be found fishing on Lake of the Woods and hunting in Northwestern Ontario. Gary graduated from Beaver Brae Secondary School in 1992 and subsequently attended the University of Manitoba.
In 1991, Gary was hired at Blackwoods Beverages as a merchandiser’s helper, not knowing at the time that this summer job would turn into a 35-year career. As the company evolved from Blackwoods to Pepsi Bottling Group and eventually PepsiCo, so did his role in the company. After acquiring his Class A driver’s license, he was quickly promoted to merchandiser with his own dedicated route and occasional “shuttle” trips to Winnipeg. This led to his current role as sales representative throughout the region, including Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake/Ear Falls, and Fort Frances/Rainy River, where he became affectionately known as “Pepsi Gary”.
Gary’s family would like to extend a thank you to the following: Heather and Cory Livingston, Shannon Earley, Beaver Brae Secondary School, The Waypoint Restaurant, PepsiCo, local hockey organizations, those who donated on the GoFundMe, and to the many Doctors, Nurses and Social Work team who took amazing care of Gary during his final days.
A Celebration of Life and Memorial will be held on Sunday, March 8th, 2-5 pm at the Kenora Curling Club/Bellas restaurant in Kenora. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center, Lake of the Woods District Hospital, the Jennifer Schott Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Beaver Brae Secondary School, and Lake of the Woods Girls Hockey organizations would be greatly appreciated. Information can be provided upon request.
Interment will be held at the Bergland Cemetery in Bergland, Ontario, at a later date.
