Veteran Houston senior police officer Gary Gryder stood in harms way countless times during his 23-year law enforcement career, including tracking down some of the city's most serious parole violators. But it was his job directing traffic around Katy Freeway construction that proved fatal, when a car struck him and a fellow officer just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008. In more than 20 years at HPD, he worked a variety of beats. Fifteen years ago, he was one of the lead investigators to crack the case of two teenage girls who were raped, tortured and killed by five young gang members. In his most recent post, he tracked down parole violators from the department's southeast precinct. Gryder was working HPD-approved overtime when he was killed.
All of Gary's family, friends, and co-workers knew of his love for life, family and his career and that is what he will be remembered for. He was fiercely proud of the job that he and other officers did for the citizens of Houston. He volunteered his time to be a union member with the Houston Police Department and worked diligently to represent other officers and their needs. His moral compass was strong and he valued honesty and integrity in his friends and co-workers.
Gary loved spending time with his family and friends and also kept busy with his home wood-working shop. While he stayed busy with police work and home repair jobs for friends and family during the week, it was his passion for baseball that kept him busy on the weekends. He loved watching his son, Austin play ball and appreciated their mutual love for the game. Austin honored his Dad by playing baseball that same day his father died. It was what Gary would have wanted.
Gary was also a jokester and notorious cut-up, friends said. Conducting HPD union board meetings sometimes was a challenge because of Gary's sense of humor. People constantly told him he should have been a comedian instead of a police officer because he so enjoyed making people laugh with his jokes and antics. While his wife became the butt of his many jokes, she could never get mad at him because she was too busy laughing!
He is survived by his wife, Retired Senior Police Officer Debra L. Gryder, who served the Department for over twenty-seven years, his son, Austin A. Gryder, daughter, Jennifer Streeter, grandchildren, Avery & Landon Streeter, parents, Shirley and Bill Gryder and two sisters. He is also survived by his Father-in-law, Retired Police Officer Alfred B. Lewis, who retired from the Department after serving over thirty-one years.
All of Gary's family, friends, and co-workers knew of his love for life, family and his career and that is what he will be remembered for. He was fiercely proud of the job that he and other officers did for the citizens of Houston. He volunteered his time to be a union member with the Houston Police Department and worked diligently to represent other officers and their needs. His moral compass was strong and he valued honesty and integrity in his friends and co-workers.
Gary loved spending time with his family and friends and also kept busy with his home wood-working shop. While he stayed busy with police work and home repair jobs for friends and family during the week, it was his passion for baseball that kept him busy on the weekends. He loved watching his son, Austin play ball and appreciated their mutual love for the game. Austin honored his Dad by playing baseball that same day his father died. It was what Gary would have wanted.
Gary was also a jokester and notorious cut-up, friends said. Conducting HPD union board meetings sometimes was a challenge because of Gary's sense of humor. People constantly told him he should have been a comedian instead of a police officer because he so enjoyed making people laugh with his jokes and antics. While his wife became the butt of his many jokes, she could never get mad at him because she was too busy laughing!
He is survived by his wife, Retired Senior Police Officer Debra L. Gryder, who served the Department for over twenty-seven years, his son, Austin A. Gryder, daughter, Jennifer Streeter, grandchildren, Avery & Landon Streeter, parents, Shirley and Bill Gryder and two sisters. He is also survived by his Father-in-law, Retired Police Officer Alfred B. Lewis, who retired from the Department after serving over thirty-one years.
Veteran Houston senior police officer Gary Gryder stood in harms way countless times during his 23-year law enforcement career, including tracking down some of the city's most serious parole violators. But it was his job directing traffic around Katy Freeway construction that proved fatal, when a car struck him and a fellow officer just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008. In more than 20 years at HPD, he worked a variety of beats. Fifteen years ago, he was one of the lead investigators to crack the case of two teenage girls who were raped, tortured and killed by five young gang members. In his most recent post, he tracked down parole violators from the department's southeast precinct. Gryder was working HPD-approved overtime when he was killed.
All of Gary's family, friends, and co-workers knew of his love for life, family and his career and that is what he will be remembered for. He was fiercely proud of the job that he and other officers did for the citizens of Houston. He volunteered his time to be a union member with the Houston Police Department and worked diligently to represent other officers and their needs. His moral compass was strong and he valued honesty and integrity in his friends and co-workers.
Gary loved spending time with his family and friends and also kept busy with his home wood-working shop. While he stayed busy with police work and home repair jobs for friends and family during the week, it was his passion for baseball that kept him busy on the weekends. He loved watching his son, Austin play ball and appreciated their mutual love for the game. Austin honored his Dad by playing baseball that same day his father died. It was what Gary would have wanted.
Gary was also a jokester and notorious cut-up, friends said. Conducting HPD union board meetings sometimes was a challenge because of Gary's sense of humor. People constantly told him he should have been a comedian instead of a police officer because he so enjoyed making people laugh with his jokes and antics. While his wife became the butt of his many jokes, she could never get mad at him because she was too busy laughing!
He is survived by his wife, Retired Senior Police Officer Debra L. Gryder, who served the Department for over twenty-seven years, his son, Austin A. Gryder, daughter, Jennifer Streeter, grandchildren, Avery & Landon Streeter, parents, Shirley and Bill Gryder and two sisters. He is also survived by his Father-in-law, Retired Police Officer Alfred B. Lewis, who retired from the Department after serving over thirty-one years.
All of Gary's family, friends, and co-workers knew of his love for life, family and his career and that is what he will be remembered for. He was fiercely proud of the job that he and other officers did for the citizens of Houston. He volunteered his time to be a union member with the Houston Police Department and worked diligently to represent other officers and their needs. His moral compass was strong and he valued honesty and integrity in his friends and co-workers.
Gary loved spending time with his family and friends and also kept busy with his home wood-working shop. While he stayed busy with police work and home repair jobs for friends and family during the week, it was his passion for baseball that kept him busy on the weekends. He loved watching his son, Austin play ball and appreciated their mutual love for the game. Austin honored his Dad by playing baseball that same day his father died. It was what Gary would have wanted.
Gary was also a jokester and notorious cut-up, friends said. Conducting HPD union board meetings sometimes was a challenge because of Gary's sense of humor. People constantly told him he should have been a comedian instead of a police officer because he so enjoyed making people laugh with his jokes and antics. While his wife became the butt of his many jokes, she could never get mad at him because she was too busy laughing!
He is survived by his wife, Retired Senior Police Officer Debra L. Gryder, who served the Department for over twenty-seven years, his son, Austin A. Gryder, daughter, Jennifer Streeter, grandchildren, Avery & Landon Streeter, parents, Shirley and Bill Gryder and two sisters. He is also survived by his Father-in-law, Retired Police Officer Alfred B. Lewis, who retired from the Department after serving over thirty-one years.
