Oklahoma City Is Mourning the Loss of Meteorologist Gary England, Who Died at Age 85

If you plug Gary England's name into X, you'll be met with a sea of grateful posts about the late meteorologist. Oklahoma City's independent publication The Lost Ogle described Gary as the Severe Weather God of Oklahoma. "He was a pioneer in his field, and guided untold numbers of Oklahomans – this one included – through countless weather emergencies over the decades. RIP to a legend," they wrote.

Gary joined News 9 in October 1972 and retired in 2013. David Payne, the current chief meteorologist at the station, wrote in a post that there will only ever be one Gary England. "He was one of a kind and the impact he had on our state, meteorology, and severe weather prediction and tracking will be felt for years and years to come." Here's what we know about the beloved meteorologist's cause of death.

Gary's family confirmed his passing to News 9 in a statement, saying he passed away peacefully on June 10, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. "Gary was proud to have protected Oklahoma from its deadliest storms. He will be deeply and forever missed," the statement read. The late meteorologist is survived by his wife Mary of 63 years and daughter Molly. He also leaves behind granddaughters Cassidy and Chloe.

Gary both loved and feared the storms he was responsible for covering. In a 2002 interview with The Oklahoman, Gary said he was always this way. He was especially dedicated to making sure Oklahoma had the most cutting-edge technology when it came to weather prediction. Working with Enterprise Electronics, Gary "implemented the world’s first commercial Doppler weather radar in 1981, becoming the first person in history to use Doppler radar for direct warnings to the public."

Oklahoma City author, attorney, and historian Bob Burke told The Oklahoman that Gary developed a storm tracker system that is still used in television today, including the storm "time of arrival" warning system. He was also still in the face of danger and exuded charm while delivering difficult information. "Perhaps his greatest asset was his ability to keep latchkey children calm in the face of a deadly tornado coming their way," said Bob. He also had an incredible cameo in the movie Twister.