Car dealer Gary Hanna dead at 81

Gary Hanna and Cliff Findlay played a lot of gin together, hours at a time, often on fishing trips and plane rides to UNLV basketball games, once on a trip to Hawaii for an automobile dealers convention.

Findlay was always lucky to come out even, Hanna would tell him.

That’s one thing Findlay’s going to miss about his friend and business competitor.

Hanna, former owner of Las Vegas Dodge, Gary Hanna Nissan and Las Vegas Chrysler Plymouth, died Saturday at Life Care rehabilitation center. He was 81.

“I think because we were both large men and rather boisterous, we had a lot in common,” said Findlay, owner of Findlay Automotive Group. “He was a great car guy. I think it was his enthusiasm, more than anything. Running a car store is like running an athletic team. You sell a car, it’s like winning a game. Everybody gets excited.”

Born May 27, 1929, in Florence, S.C., Hanna came to Las Vegas in 1950 with the U.S. Air Force and started his automotive industry career as a car salesman.

Findlay remembers when Hanna worked at Biddulph Rambler on Fremont Street, which offered a new car to anyone who could beat their bear in a wrestling match.

Hanna served as president of the Nevada New Car Dealer Association and was honored by Time magazine for his accomplishments in the automotive industry. He was also named to the dealer council for both Nissan and Chrysler.

Carolyn Hanna, his wife of 45 years, said she was most impressed with his honesty. They had met through some friends and when she went to buy a car from him, he suggested she try other models. He lost a sale but found a woman.

“You had to know him, but he said what he thought and when he said something, you knew that’s the way it was,” she said.

Even after he retired in 1997, Hanna had former employees calling him and asking if he would open another dealership, his wife said.

Hanna donated to local charities and to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, and two sons, Jon and Chris. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; son, Kevin; and sisters, Allison and Elizabeth.

No service is scheduled.

Donations may be made to Nathan Adelson Hospice.

Contact reporter Hubble Smith at hsmith@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0491.