Gary Lee Denton, loving husband, father, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and loyal friend, left this mortal life on September 18, 2019 -- just four days past his 70th Birthday.

Gary was born September 14, 1949. The second son of Aubrey Leo and Betty Jane Smith Denton, his brother, Rick, being the older son.

Gary spent most of his growing up years in Arizona. His father was a working cowboy most of his life and this is where Gary learned, at a very young age, to love horses and the cowboy way of life.

Gary spent most of his school days in Arizona, but after his freshman year at Miami High School, he and his family moved to East Texas where he graduated from Gilmer High School in 1968. After graduation, he couldn't get back to his beloved Arizona fast enough where he attended Eastern Arizona college. Gary's parents moved back to the Globe/Miami area in 1970. After college, Gary moved in with his parents and began working at Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company. At that time, he and his soon-to-be wife, Mary Cothrun, would get reacquainted and married on June 19, 1971. On January 16, 1979, they would adopt their sweet Amy Suzanne six days shy of her first birthday. He was a very proud Daddy.

Gary completed an apprenticeship at Pinto Valley Mine as a Boilermaker Welder. He was an outstanding welder and loved his craft. He would later go to work for Gila County Facilities and retired in 2015. He always said retirement was the best job he ever had which gave him the opportunity to Cowboy now and then. His favorite things were spending time with family, friends and riding his horse.

Gary is proceeded in death by his father, Aubrey Denton, his Mother, Betty Cook and step-father, Tom Cook, his in-laws Milt and Nadine Cothrun, his infant son, Aubrey Matthew, and infant daughter Alexa Lee, infant grandson, Bucky Lee Fortner, and Grandparents, John and Minnie Pearl Denton and Papa Dick and Mama Smith.

Gary is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 48 years, Mary; his daughter, Amy; his brother, Rick, his stepbrother, Bill Cook (Janice); sister-in-law Peggy Beutler (Jim); brothers-in-law, Mike Cothrun (Sylvia Nunez), Keith Cothrun (Andrew), and Randy Cothrun (Christie); Aunts, Mabel Allred and Edna Tyree, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.