of Little Rock, AR

October 26, 2025

Gary Lee Stoops, devoted husband, father and grandfather, passed away from a sudden cardiac event on October 26, 2025. Born in 1939 in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Gary was the second of four boys to James and Lois (Miller) Stoops. He often spoke fondly of his boyhood in Waynesboro - fun with his brothers and cousins, summers spent helping his grandparents on the farm, assisting his grandfather with veterinary work, and laboring in the orchards to earn money for school clothes. Those early years instilled in him a lifelong work ethic, sense of duty, and appreciation for family and service.

After graduating high school, Gary proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1960 as a Combat Engineer. Following his military service, he attended West Virginia University (WVU), where he became a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and, most importantly, met the love of his life, Sharon Rule. Gary and Sharon married in 1965 and served as house parents for her former sorority, Delta Gamma, while Gary attended the WVU College of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 1969.

Gary made his dream of becoming a G-man a reality when he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Special Agent after graduation from law school. His illustrious 26-year career with the FBI took him and Sharon across the country - from Miami, Florida, to Albany, New York, FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ) in Washington, D.C., to Las Vegas, NV and back to FBIHQ. Throughout his career, Gary was known for his integrity, leadership, and ability to guide complex investigations with precision and fairness.

Highlights of his early FBI service included his role as liaison for the Carter-Mondale Presidential Transition Team in 1976, and his leadership as Unit Chief for classified information litigation. During his tenure as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Las Vegas Field Office, he oversaw numerous high-profile investigations spanning organized crime in casinos, political corruption, white-collar offenses, property crimes, domestic terrorism, and counterintelligence. One significant case involved the indictment, conviction, impeachment and removal of a sitting US Federal District Court Judge- a first in American history. Later, as the FBI's first Security Programs Manager, Gary helped establish the Bureau's initial security countermeasures budget, setting a lasting standard for national security programs. He was recognized by the Department of Justice for his exceptional contributions to enhancing the FBI's and DOJ's security initiatives. Gary retired from the FBI in 1995, where he served as Inspector-Deputy Assistant Director.

After retirement, Gary and Sharon returned to their beloved Morgantown, West Virginia, where Gary continued a second, equally impactful career in the non-profit and cybercrime prevention fields. He served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the West Virginia High Technology Foundation Consortium, and later as Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to the Director of the National White Collar Crime Center (NWC3). There, he played a pivotal role in founding the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov), which remains a vital tool for global law enforcement to combat cybercrime. Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, under Gary's direction, IC3 was reprogrammed within 24 hours to serve as the FBI's Terrorist Tip Portal, collecting crucial intelligence that helped prevent further attacks.

In 2002, Gary also helped establish the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA), fostering collaboration between private industry and law enforcement. His leadership led to major arrests of international cybercriminals involved in identity theft, software piracy, and child exploitation. During the Hurricane Katrina crisis, Gary's NCFTA initiatives helped identify fraudulent relief websites, protecting countless victims from online scams.

Gary's pioneering work in cybercrime prevention and law enforcement collaboration has made the world measurably safer. His vision and mentorship shaped the careers of many young professionals who continue his legacy of integrity and service in the FBI, CIA, and other agencies.

Beyond his professional life, Gary gave generously of his time and expertise. He was an active member and past club president of Rotary International, served on the West Virginia University Visiting Committee, was a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, a longtime member of the Board of Directors of The EdVenture Group, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Forge Institute.

Gary and Sharon later made their home in Little Rock, Arkansas, to be close to their treasured grandsons, Jack and Logan. Though their hearts always cheered for the WVU mountaineers, they happily embraced the University of Little Rock Trojans, becoming loyal supporters of their new hometown team. They found great joy in watching their grandsons play in countless sporting events and continued to share their love of athletics by attending local collegiate games together. Gary's life was defined by devotion-to his country, his community, and above all, to his family.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sharon Rule; his brothers James and Merrell Stoops, of Beaufort, SC and Waynesboro, PA; sisters-in-law Karen and Linda Stoops, of Pensacola, FL and Waynesboro, PA; as well as his niece Cindy Stoops and nephews Sean and Ian Stoops. He is survived by his loving daughters, Michelle Carney and husband Allen Carney of Little Rock, and Monica Stoops of Omaha, NE and husband Chris Dechant. He took great pride in his grandsons, Jack and Logan Carney, of Little Rock.

Gary is also survived by his brother, Dennis Stoops; niece Erin Stoops Davis and her sons Liam and Logan Koebel, all of Pensacola, FL; and grand-nieces Cayden and Bria Stoops. From Waynesboro, PA, he is remembered fondly by his niece Samantha Stoops Wagaman and husband Jeff Wagaman, and great-nephews Derek Wagaman and wife Kylie Wagaman, and Troy Wagaman and wife Jacie Davidson. From Phoenix, AZ, he is also survived by his nephew Michael Stoops and grand-nephews Justin and Alex Stoops. His extended family includes niece Kristina Ward and her sons Vincent and Paul Ward; cousins Shelva Jean Martin, Kay Singer, Bonnie Rhodes, Sharon Miller, Cathy Weber, Larry Miller, Karen Herrmann, and Teresa Baker, all of Waynesboro, PA; as well as niece Beth White and husband Brian White, grand-nieces Sarah White and Emily White and husband Nathan Hurst, and nephew Craig Douglas, all of Frederick, MD.

Military honors will be presented at 1:00 p.m., followed by a visitation celebrating Gary's life until 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. The family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made in Gary's name to The Former Agents of the FBI Foundation or Rotary International in lieu of flowers.

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