A lunch that changed my life | Bob Shryock

I got a phone call one fall day in 1980 from Bill Apetz' secretary at Gloucester County College. It led to a life-changing lunch.

Bob ShryockTimes file photo 

I got a phone call one fall day in 1980 from Bill Apetz' secretary at Gloucester County College. Would I like to have lunch at the Five Points Diner with Bill, a good friend who was the founding president at GCC, and his guest?

"Certainly," I said, never one to pass up a free lunch. And, as it turned out, a life-changing lunch at that.

That was the day I met Gary Reddig, Apetz' successor as GCC's second president. They lobbied, successfully, for me to become Reddig's assistant to the president for public relations, giving me three jobs. I loved working at the college. And loved working for Dr. Reddig.

Our five-year tenures at GCC both ended in 1985 but our friendship endures. Gary was the consummate boss and professional, always accessible to discuss strategy, always willing to go the extra mile to help promote the college. I certainly wasn't faultless in my disposition of duties, but Gary had an easy-going way about him that made him quickly forget the flaws. He was a pleasure to work for.

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Oddly, we missed a connection at Broome Tech, a two-year community college  in Binghamton, N.Y., where he was second in command and I covered their basketball team as a fledging sportswriter.

After leaving GCC, we maintained our friendship at Pitman Golf Course, where I was starter and assistant to the manager, and Gary fought the demons that prevented him from being a single-digit player. But, to his everlasting credit, Gary became a decent golfer and a regular in the Wednesday men's league. He also was one of the most even-tempered golfers I've known.

Gary has had his share of personal problems in recent years, including a long battle to curb leukemia. He lost his wife, Carol, earlier this year, and their 46-year-old son, Mitchell, who died of natural causes on Nov. 5.

Gary moved to a family home in Ephrata, Pa., near his old stomping grounds, on Oct. 17.

He hasn't lost his wry sense of humor.

"I miss many sections of the South Jersey Times. But they don't deliver to residents in Ephrata."

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For the sake of accuracy, I'll repeat a geography lesson provided by former South Jersey resident Jack McDonnell concerning circumnavigator Marvin Creamer's current homestead.

"You stated he lives  in Pine Knoll Shores on the Outer Banks," McDonnell says. "Pine Knoll Shores is not on the Outer Banks. It is located on Emerald Isle or Bogue Island. This is a barrier island between Beaufort, N.C. and Bogue Inlet.

"The Outer Banks are the Barrier Islands below Virginia Beach, Duck to Ocracoke Island."

Got that?

"Blackbeard's old stomping grounds."