In Memoriam: City of Geneva’s Gary Paris

Gary Paris, fleet maintenance supervisor for the City of Geneva, Ill., died unexpectedly on April 4 at his home. 

Paris, 60, had been employed with the city for 29 years in Geneva’s Public Works Department. He spent the past 12 years overseeing and maintaining the municipality’s entire 198-vehicle and equipment fleet spanning across all departments.

“Gary was one of the hidden assets of the city. He worked to ensure there was never a piece of equipment out of service that we needed to get the job done,” Public Works Director Rich Babica said. “When 15 out of 15 snow plows are ready to do the job time in and time out, that meant the world to us. He added a great deal of stability to the city by keeping our vehicles running to meet the needs of the public, and his expertise will be greatly missed.”

Hired in 1988, Paris began his employment with the city as a maintenance department mechanic. He was promoted twice, first to chief mechanic in 1994 and later to fleet maintenance supervisor in 2006. Paris was certified as a Master Automobile Technician by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Besides vehicle maintenance, Paris also serviced the backup power generators at City Hall, the Police Department, Public Works, and the city’s water utility.