In Memoriam

Gary Robert Koutnik
1950-2026

ONEONTA—Gary Robert Koutnik was born July 19, 1950 in Berlin, Germany, on a U.S. military base. He was adopted at 11 months by Frances and George Koutnik.

He grew up in Wantagh, Long Island, where he was in his first play as an elementary schooler, inspiring his lifelong love of theater. In high school, he spent his summers working at Onteora, where he was an Eagle Scout counselor and learned the many backroads of upstate New York, allowing him to attend Woodstock without getting stuck in traffic. It was here that he developed a drive to empower those under his tutelage, as well as his love for the Catskill Mountains, a place he would return to throughout his life.

Gary’s passion for education permeated throughout his life, spending his life educating himself and others, and his career fighting to make sure every student got the education they deserved.  He earned a bachelor’s degree (and most of a master’s) in education and special education at Bucknell University, while participating in theater, radio, and protests in Washington. He pursued a PhD at the University of Texas, ultimately choosing instead to start his career as a school psychologist in upstate New York, where he met his future wife, Abbey Steere.

As a school psychologist, Gary helped generations of students (and their families) better understand who they were and how to best access the educational resources available to them.  When the opportunity arose, he taught at SUNY Oneonta as an adjunct lecturer, finally earning his master’s degree in school administration in the process.

He was chosen as the next director of special education for Oneonta, where he continued his work of ensuring equitable access to education for everyone for another six years before retiring for the first time. After retiring, he continued helping to cover for temporary gaps, helping local school districts when needed, and giving historical tours at Hyde Hall. He was known to do everything he could to help the students and families he served.

Gary was always looking for new ways to contribute to the community he settled in. While he was working tirelessly as a school psychologist, he also was an integral member of the First Presbyterian Church in Worcester, where he contributed to charity, outreach, ministry and music. While at the church, he led the development of their food bank and The Storehouse, a thrift store staffed with volunteers trained in helping people navigate bureaucracy to find the assistance they deserved.

In fact, after his first retirement, he went on to be a county representative for Oneonta City, where he served on the county board for eight years and worked tirelessly to ensure that the decisions made benefitted the people in the county, regardless of political affiliation. He would often say that whenever he was interacting with someone, he would see Jesus in them. To those who knew him, this encapsulated his approach—engaging with him was refreshingly genuine. When he spoke to you, he was engaging with you.

With his beloved wife, Abbey Koutnik, he raised two children, Randall Koutnik and Whitsun Koutnik. He lived to see Randall marry Lily, and loved to spend time playing with their daughter, Gwen. 

His childhood love of theater only grew, and was shared by his wife and children, all of whom performed in plays together. He performed, directed, and at times wrote stage plays and more. He worked with the Catskill Community Players, Bigger Dreams Productions, Glimmerglass Theater, Templeton Players and others. His latest performance was in “12 Angry Men” in 2026, including the family’s traditional post-performance milkshakes.

He instilled in his family his boundless curiosity. He always searched to understand who the people around him truly were, and to keep learning and understanding the world around him. He has left his love of music, reading, baseball, stories, science fiction, and the joy of learning with his family and friends.  His most fundamental belief was that by working together, we could make the world a better place.

Gary leaves behind a loving family, incredible friends and uncountable lives touched by his dedication to service.

And of course, true to himself, his last wish was not to inconvenience anyone. His wishes expressly state that “no one should be forced to dress up or sit in uncomfortable pews for my sake,” so please, know that Gary served the community as it was, and not just when the people were wearing ties.

Oneonta Assembly of God will host a low-key, no-suits-required Celebration of Life on Monday, June 22, 2026. There will be a visiting hour at 3 p.m., followed by a sharing and celebration of life at 4 p.m. and a communal meal at 5 p.m. It will be streamed on the Oneonta Assembly of God Facebook page.

If you would like to honor Gary’s legacy, the family suggests a donation to the Future for Oneonta Foundation or the Hunger Coalition of Otsego County. Gary himself would say to get involved in supporting your community.

Arrangements are with Delker and Terry Funeral Home.