Veteran Oklahoma meteorologist Gary England has passed away.
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“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved Gary England passed this evening,” his family announced in a statement, per ABC affiliate KOCO 5. “Gary passed peacefully on the evening of June 10th, surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife of 63 years, Mary, and his loving daughter, Molly. Gary was proud to have protected Oklahoma from its deadliest storms. He will be deeply and forever missed.”
A cause of death was not given. England was 85.
England was born on Oct. 3, 1939, in Seiling, Oklahoma. He served in the U.S. Navy and later attended the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and meteorology in 1965, according to KOCO 5.
On CBS-affiliated KWTV, he spent decades informing Oklahomans about weather events, helping to advance meteorology, and earning numerous awards along the way.
According to the New York Times, England played a key role in creating the First Warning map graphic, designed to display ongoing weather alerts without interrupting regular programming. He also served as Vice President of Corporate Relations and Weather Development at Griffin Communications LLC, the parent company of KWTV, which shared a single-story building with the studio.
Tributes Pour in for Beloved Weatherman Gary England
Meanwhile, KOCO 5 Field Meteorologist Michael Armstrong shared a tribute to England in the wake of his passing.
“You knew him as an Oklahoma legend, a Hall of Famer. I knew him as a friend. Gary – I love you and will forever miss you, but I’m so thankful to have been able to work so closely with you doing what we both shared such a passion for. ‘Simply the Best,'” Armstrong wrote on Facebook.
Senator James Lankford also honored England after his passing, describing him as a “calm in the storm.”
“Cindy and I are saddened by the passing of Gary England—a U.S. Navy veteran and pioneering force in television meteorology,” Lankford wrote on X. “Born and raised in Seiling, Oklahoma, Gary earned international recognition for his groundbreaking innovations in weather technology, including implementing the world’s first commercial Doppler weather radar in 1981 and becoming the first person in history to use it to issue direct warnings to the public.”
“His innovations in advanced warnings undoubtedly saved countless lives across the country,” Lankford continued. “Generations of Oklahomans remember well his winsome, ‘Let’s check it out’ and his celebration each week of ‘Friday night in the big town.’ He was our early warning and our calm in the storm. Cindy and I are praying for his wife, Mary, of 63 years, and all who loved him as they grieve his loss.”