Gary Samuel Platt

A proud native Angeleno, Gary was born on December 24, 1925 to Fannie and Albert Platt, joining his older sisters Celia and Adele.

Growing up in Boyle Heights, Gary attended Sheridan Street Elementary, Hollenbeck Junior High, and Roosevelt High School. He so enjoyed living close to and spending time with all his cousins. As a teen he sold programs at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and worked at Zellman’s Menswear.

After serving in the Army in World War II, Gary went to work downtown at Brooks clothing store in the display department. He quickly noticed the beautiful blonde switchboard operator Tut Howe. He kept asking her out until she finally said yes. After many years of pursuing Tut, he convinced her to marry him in 1954.

Tut and Gary enjoyed many wonderful years partying with “The Cousins Club” and with good friends: the Kaufmans, Maslans, and Witkows. Their daughter Alice was born in 1962 and joined in the fun.

Gary worked for Chefs Laundry, and then commercial furniture company L & B Manufacturing, where Gary become famous for convincing casinos to put barstools in front of their slot machines. When he was already in his 70s Gary joined his nephew Bob at his new company, Gary Platt Manufacturing. In 2022, Las Vegas Magazine bestowed Gary with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Gary worked until he was 85, only retiring because his granddaughter Lily was born.

Gary took wonderful and loving care of Tut until her death at the age of 99 in December of 2022. But even after Tut was gone, Gary kept going, loving to watch his granddaughter dance and just spending time with her.

Gary really wanted a big 100th birthday party and he made it. 102 people from all over the country celebrated with him. His next goal was hoping to live until 2028 to go the Los Angeles Olympics for the third time, having attended in 1932 and 1984. While that wasn’t meant to be, he lived a long life because of his upbeat, positive attitude and the love of friends and family.

Gary is survived by his nephews Harold (Gail) Zellman, Bob (Sue) Yabroff, many great and great-great nieces and nephews, his daughter Alice Platt (Dan Newmark), and most importantly his granddaughter Lily.

Alice is so grateful for the loving care Cheryl Esperanza gave Gary in the last years of his life.

Services will be held Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 W. Centinela Ave., Los Angeles.