Gary Louis Haller

Gary Louis Haller, 84, of DeSoto, Kansas, passed away on December 10. Gary was born August 10, 1936 in Colby, Kansas to parents Nelson Benton Haller and Gladys Bergfield. A proud and lifelong Wildcat, Gary attended Kansas State University on a wrestling scholarship and graduated with a degree in Landscape Architecture and received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Kansas.

After graduating from Kansas State, Gary worked for the Kansas Highway Commission designing roadside rest stops and parks and later worked for the Kansas State Park and Resources Authority helping to plan state parks around Kansas' many lakes and reservoirs. Gary's passion for environmental stewardship and commitment to conservation led to his 27-year tenure as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. Under his leadership and vision, the amount of land and resources dedicated to parks, trails and outdoor activities flourished throughout Johnson County, growing from 1,800 acres to over 6,000 acres. As a result, every year, millions of families, residents and visitors benefit from the health and wellness benefits of connecting with nature and the beauty of the outdoors. In 1995, the Johnson County Park & Recreation District received the National Gold Medal Award of Excellence from the National Recreation and Park Association, recognizing the District as the best park and recreation agency in the nation. During his tenure, Gary's leadership resulted in many more agency awards on the national, regional, state, and local levels. He was also recognized on those same levels for his individual contributions to the field, including being named as a Charter Inductee into the KRPA Hall of Fame, NRPA Midwest Council Fellow Award, KRPA Fellow Award, NACPRO Fellow Award, and NRPA Distinguished Professional Award, all of which are the highest honors of individual accomplishment in the parks and recreation profession in each of those associations. Following his retirement, on June 1, 2002, the Johnson County Parks & Recreation District dedicated the 17-mile trail in the Mill Creek Streamway Park as the Gary L. Haller Trail to commemorate National Trails Day. In 2010, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar designated the Gary L. Haller Trail as a National Recreation Trail, and, that same year, Gary was recognized by the Johnson County Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners with a Distinguished Service Resolution acknowledging his legacy as the "Father of the Streamway Park System."

Gary is survived by his loving wife and globetrotting travel partner Vicki, sons Kelly Haller and partner Vivien, Darren Haller and wife Kathy, Brett Haller and wife Sandy, step-daughter Gwen
Plattner and husband Ryan, step-son Chris Kelly and wife Melinda, sisters Sheila Kasmer and husband Charlie and Kathy Calliham and husband Richard. Gary was also the world's best
Grampy, playing the role of Santa and tractor driver to nine grandchildren - Whitney, Ben, Shelby, Connor, Madison, Chloe, Cooper, Hadley & Jack. Gary and his wife Vicki traveled the world over their 36 years of marriage, marking their love through locks on bridges in Paris, footprints in the sands of Hawaii and traversing through the Rockies in Colorado. The world is literally a more beautiful place because of Gary Haller.

Those who wish to remember Gary in a special way may donate to The Parks & Recreation Foundation of Johnson County, Attn: Jeff Stewart, 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66219 or online at https://www.jcprdfoundation.org/give-online. The family is planning to hold a celebration of Gary's life in 2021 within the very parks and trails that Gary helped bring to life. In the meantime, to feel close to Gary, simply walk into nature.