Obituary for Gary Kent Paben
Gary Kent Paben, was born in 1942 in Quincy, IL and died on December 30, 2022 after a brave battle against lung cancer. He died at home in Black Mountain, NC peacefully with his wife of 56 years, Cheryl, by his side.
Gary graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 1964. He received his master’s from Occidental College in LA in 1969 and subsequently taught there for four years.
As Senior Show Director for the Walt Disney Company at Walt Disney World for 20 years, Gary traveled the globe creating, writing, and directing over 200 projects from a cast of six to 20, 000. Highlights include the opening of three parks, opening ceremony for Pan American Games X, the 2000 Millennium Tapestry of Nations, Macy Parades, the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, Three Super Bowl half-time shows, a Citrus Bowl and an Orange Bowl. He opened the Orlando Airport with astronauts and doves; he created a Currier and Ives Christmas show, “The Sparkling Christmas Spectacular” that ran for 13 years at Walt Disney World. As Director of ATAS Hall of Fame, he inducted Alan Alda and Oprah Winfrey among many others.
A hiatus from Disney took Gary to the Big Apple as Executive Vice President and Executive Producer at Madison Square Garden.
As president of Gary Paben Productions, Gary created A Tivoli, Fairytale Celebrating H.C. Andersons 200th anniversary in Copenhagen, Denmark. In April 2011, Gary wrote and directed Dolphin Tales at the Georgia Aquarium, where he stated, “It’s easier to work with show girls than dolphins.”
Paben said in an interview, “One of the highlights of my career was directing “Voices” the first benefit for Aids in Orlando, FL.
Gary was the recipient of the 30th Anniversary Daytime Emmy Award for Best Director in a special class. Being recognized for directing the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City is especially rewarding, Paben says, because the Paralympians are inspiring to me. Their journeys are mountaintop experiences.
Greg Smith, the composer - arranger for the 2002 paralympics said “Gary was such a creative force. Big is what comes to mind. Big ideas, big production and big heart. Best of all, big laughs and big fun. I can still hear his voice as clearly as the sound of a piano, encouraging, animated, and enthusiastic.”
Gary and Cheryl Paben came to Black Mountain in 2010. Gary was on the Board for Black Mountain Center for the Arts and helped with the vision for the 28 – foot Thomas Hart Benton style mural on the side of the building portraying artists, an actor, a potter, musicians and dancers which all take place in the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. He was a lay reader for Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville.
Gary loved to travel with his wife, Cheryl; champion his son, Zackary’s charity, More Heart Than Scars; have a martini with his grandson, Jake; dance with his granddaughter, Snowlilly, and entertain his friends and family, surrounding them with warmth and the sound of his laughter.
The celebration of life will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park, FL at 10:30am on January 12, 2023.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 or More Heart Than Scars, 357 Paxton Creek Road, Marion, NC 28752, which is a charity his son, Zackary, cofounded to empower people with disabilities to have more heart than scars.
Gary graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 1964. He received his master’s from Occidental College in LA in 1969 and subsequently taught there for four years.
As Senior Show Director for the Walt Disney Company at Walt Disney World for 20 years, Gary traveled the globe creating, writing, and directing over 200 projects from a cast of six to 20, 000. Highlights include the opening of three parks, opening ceremony for Pan American Games X, the 2000 Millennium Tapestry of Nations, Macy Parades, the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, Three Super Bowl half-time shows, a Citrus Bowl and an Orange Bowl. He opened the Orlando Airport with astronauts and doves; he created a Currier and Ives Christmas show, “The Sparkling Christmas Spectacular” that ran for 13 years at Walt Disney World. As Director of ATAS Hall of Fame, he inducted Alan Alda and Oprah Winfrey among many others.
A hiatus from Disney took Gary to the Big Apple as Executive Vice President and Executive Producer at Madison Square Garden.
As president of Gary Paben Productions, Gary created A Tivoli, Fairytale Celebrating H.C. Andersons 200th anniversary in Copenhagen, Denmark. In April 2011, Gary wrote and directed Dolphin Tales at the Georgia Aquarium, where he stated, “It’s easier to work with show girls than dolphins.”
Paben said in an interview, “One of the highlights of my career was directing “Voices” the first benefit for Aids in Orlando, FL.
Gary was the recipient of the 30th Anniversary Daytime Emmy Award for Best Director in a special class. Being recognized for directing the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City is especially rewarding, Paben says, because the Paralympians are inspiring to me. Their journeys are mountaintop experiences.
Greg Smith, the composer - arranger for the 2002 paralympics said “Gary was such a creative force. Big is what comes to mind. Big ideas, big production and big heart. Best of all, big laughs and big fun. I can still hear his voice as clearly as the sound of a piano, encouraging, animated, and enthusiastic.”
Gary and Cheryl Paben came to Black Mountain in 2010. Gary was on the Board for Black Mountain Center for the Arts and helped with the vision for the 28 – foot Thomas Hart Benton style mural on the side of the building portraying artists, an actor, a potter, musicians and dancers which all take place in the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. He was a lay reader for Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville.
Gary loved to travel with his wife, Cheryl; champion his son, Zackary’s charity, More Heart Than Scars; have a martini with his grandson, Jake; dance with his granddaughter, Snowlilly, and entertain his friends and family, surrounding them with warmth and the sound of his laughter.
The celebration of life will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park, FL at 10:30am on January 12, 2023.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 or More Heart Than Scars, 357 Paxton Creek Road, Marion, NC 28752, which is a charity his son, Zackary, cofounded to empower people with disabilities to have more heart than scars.