Gary Mack Stolley

Gary Mack Stolley, 90, of Moline, died Thursday, September 3, 2026, at MercyOne-Genesis East, Davenport surrounded by his adoring family.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Gary at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 3209 - 60th St, Moline. Burial will be in the Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island. Visitation will be held from 4 until 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, 614 N. Main Street, Davenport with additional visitation on Wednesday at church from 9:30 a.m. until Mass begins. Memorials may be made in Gary’s honor to Empowering Abilities (formerly Handicapped Development Center) or Christ the King Catholic Church.

Gary was born on April 11, 1936, in Davenport, a son of Otto Francis and Lula Pearl (King) Stolley. He attended St. Alphonsus Grade School and graduated from St. Ambrose Academy in 1954. He proudly served our country in the Army from 1956 until 1958, primarily stationed in Michigan, guarding the locks of the Great Lakes. Following his honorable discharge, Gary enrolled at St. Ambrose College where he earned his business administration degree.

Gary was united in marriage to Barbara Jane Panther on July 13, 1961 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Davenport. Mrs. Stolley preceded Gary in passing on August 17, 2016, following fifty-five years of marriage.

While in college, Gary went to work at Sivyer Steel before joining John Deere Foundry and later working his way up to the manager, personnel at Deere and Company. He retired after thirty-seven years of service.

Gary was a longtime member of Christ the King Catholic Church and served on the boards of the former Handicapped Development Center and Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club and Junior Achievement, as well as Toastmasters as a younger man.

Gary was a proud family man, cherishing the time spent together. His greatest joy in his life was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved the outdoors and realized a dream purchasing an acreage in Coal Valley where he built walking trails and later acquired an adjacent property with a home on it that he and Barb moved into. He loved to call himself a “poor old dirt farmer.” Gary was a voracious reader, enjoying works about history, specifically World War II. He also enjoyed playing golf and fishing, was an avid card player, especially with friends, and was a fan of the Chicago Cubs, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Chicago Bears.

Those left to honor Gary’s memory are his daughter and son-in-law, Ann (Eric) Schiefelbein, Johnston, Iowa, daughter-in-law, Mary Patricia Stolley, Iowa City; grandchildren: Olivia (Jake) Ritter and Elizabeth Schiefelbein, all of Winterset, Iowa, Mack Stolley (fiancée, Maura Smith), Samuel Stolley, all of Iowa City, and Mary Claire Stolley, Urbandale, Iowa; great-grandchildren: Nathan and Abigail Ritter; sisters, Christine McMahon, Davenport, and Deborah (Dave) McClanahan, Wichita, Kansas as well as many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, Barbara, Gary was preceded in death by his son, Kenton Mack Stolley, his parents, siblings, Jack, Muriel, Mary, Edward, Linda, Patricia, and Jacqueline as well as his best friend, Tom Otting. May they all rest in eternal peace.

The Stolley family would like to thank the nurses and staff, especially, Karen of the Cardiac Unit at MercyOne-Genesis East for all of the compassionate and loving care given to Gary.