Gara, Albert Donald "Al"Albert Donald "Al" Gara, 86, of Appleton, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Lumberton, Texas. He was born on May 24, 1930 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Al was raised by his grandparents, Katie (Murkus-Gara) and Richard Damrau on a farm near Bowler, Wisconsin. After graduating from Bowler High School, he served his country in the United States Army as a tank driver stationed in Worms, Germany. On November 27, 1956, he married Shirley Mae Peotter in Alamogordo, New Mexico. After briefly working for Appleton Coated, he started his bricklayer's apprenticeship. As a stone mason and bricklayer, he worked for Ted Utschig Construction and Oscar Boldt Construction leaving his work in view across the Appleton area. Never afraid of hard work, after retirement he enjoyed helping friends and family with their farming chores. Al enjoyed bowling and fishing and his greatest love was singing and playing the guitar. Winters were spent in the Texas Rio Grande Valley attending daily jam sessions with his musician friends. Survivors include his daughter, Susan Quick and her husband, Todd, of Lumberton, Texas; brother, Robert Igl; sister, Nancy Fronek; brothers-in-law, Don Peotter, his wife, Ann, and Ken Peotter; and close friend, John Vander Zanden. He is preceded in death by his parents and wife of fifty-nine years, Shirley Mae Peotter Gara.Memorial service will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the Star of Hope Chapel at Appleton Highland Memorial Park 3131 N. Richmond, Appleton. Inurnment will follow the service. Visitation will begin at 12:00 PM.