Casey Gannon is a visible figure in Boundary County, who has deep community involvement. He is a member of the VFW, American Legion, honor guard, the veterans outreach center, the Rotary Club and is manager of Accurate Northwest Auto Body. Gannon’s commitment to helping others began when he joined the U.S. military. 

“Two weeks after I got out of high school, I went into the Navy as a first responder, a damage control firefighter and a member of the Flying Squad, the ship’s rapid response group,” Gannon said. “There were aircraft that crashed into the water, and I helped pull soldiers out.”

He spent time overseas rescuing people during multiple deployments. 

“I was in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, so I was in the country when those oil fires were burning,” he said. “Later, I went to the Philippines, where there were two bases that were in serious danger. We ended up being the hospital ship for the battle group that went there and helped evacuate civilians.” 

In total, Gannon spent five years serving his country before leaving the Navy with an honorable discharge and earning a Bronze Star. After his military service, however, he was unsure what his next step would be. 

“All I’ve done is serve my country,” Gannon said. “I thought I could go be a firefighter.” 

Eventually, Gannon found his path in the auto industry. 

“I just wanted to bring beauty to this world,” he said. “My thought was, wait a second — people crash their cars, and it’s horrible. Maybe I could learn how to paint and wash that sorrow and sadness away.”

His role soon expanded beyond painting as he moved into leadership positions. 

“I’ve been in management since I was 32, doing good things for my community,” Gannon said.

Many of the lessons he learned in the Navy have carried over into the rest of his life. 

“I connect with that warrior ethos,” he said. “Even though I never had to shoot anybody, I helped people, and you carry that on. I’m just trying to do good and change lives one at a time.” 

Now the manager at Accurate Northwest Autobody, Gannon said he treats everyone connected to the business as a customer, including employees. 

“The shop feeds the guys once a week,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it really is. It’s important for morale and for letting our technicians know how important they are.” 

Gannon moved to Bonners Ferry about six years ago. 

“I had a really good job at a shop in Lewiston, and my daughter’s mom is from here,” he said. “She got married, and they bought a house after she graduated. One day she called me and said, ‘Guess what? You’re going to have a grandson.’ I talked to my wife and said, ‘What do you think? Should we head up there? It’s a small town. I don’t know how many opportunities there are.’” 

“Everything happens for a reason, and I think my whole life has been led by God just taking care of me,” he said. 

Gannon is active in several veterans' organizations in Boundary County, but one is the most impactful for him. 

“Of all the things I do, what moves me the most is being a member of the honor guard here,” Gannon said. “We’re a group of veterans. Whenever a veteran passes away, we give military honors. We do 21-gun salutes, fold the flag and present it to the widow, along with the shells.” 

He also organizes the senior center meat drive, which in 2025 received 923 pounds of beef and chicken and is a member of Rotary. 

When asked what Bonners Ferry and Boundary County mean to him, Gannon gave a simple answer. 

“Home,” he said. “I’ve been all over the world — the deserts, the Persian Gulf, the Philippines, all the way to the Aleutian Islands. I’ve been all over the United States and Mexico. There’s no place I love more than here. I don’t think there’s anything more beautiful.” 

    A picture of Gannon and the rest of the Accurate Northwest Auto Body crew.
  

    Gannon folds the flag during a veteran's memorial service Honor Guard in 2025.