Obituary for Bernard J. McGarry
Rensselaer- Bernard J. McGarry of 3312 Eastwick Village, Rensselaer, passed peacefully on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, after a brief illness.
He was predeceased by Mary, his loving wife of 62 years. He is survived by four children, Bernard, Ann (Joe), Mark (Lynn) and Matt (Annemarie), five grandchildren, Luke (Liz), Patrick (Karen), Erin (Mike), Jack and Claire and two great-grandchildren Brendan and Hannah.
If there was one word to describe Bernard it would be joy. He loved life and the world in which he lived no matter what life threw his way.
Barely 18, Bernie found himself in uniform and on a ship bound for England during WWII. He served his country as a surgical technician at the 159th General Hospital in Southern England. Arriving three weeks prior to D-Day, his first patients were the wounded from the Normandy beaches. To his amazement, the first soldier admitted to his ward was a neighborhood friend from home. Honorably discharged, Bernie returned home and soon married Mary Regan, the love of his life. Four children followed, and Mary and the kids became the center of his universe and his family loved him right back. Sunday afternoon car rides to nowhere-in-particular were a weekly event. The annual vacation to Lake George with several other families from around New York and New Jersey was always a highlight and produced great fun and great memories. Bernie loved sports; bowling and golf were favorites and he was a champion horseshoe player. He was a talented craftsman of stained glass and also loved to read and write stories. He wrote poetry throughout his life and could quote passages of leading poets and philosophers; Omar Khayyam was a favorite. He told jokes – lots of them – to the entertainment of everyone he met. No one could ever figure out how he could remember so many jokes. He loved diners where he could always order two eggs, over light, any time of the day. In the later years, the regular Sunday breakfasts, at his favorite diner with family, was a weekly highlight.
When Mary passed in 2012, he moved to the retirement community at Eastwick Circle. His poetry became a regular feature in the community newsletter. He also met Peggy, a fellow resident, and the two became in separable until she passed several months ago.
Diminutive in stature, he had an outsized impact on everyone who met him, compelling proof that you did not have to be of extraordinary size to have an extraordinary impact on people. He was a Renaissance man in this era of narrow specialties. Although he was very proud and delighted with the professional successes of his children, he never suspected that the biggest family success was always him. We will all miss this curious, energetic and loving man all of our days.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated by the Reverend Kenneth Doyle on Monday at 9 am in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 175 Williams Road, Troy. Friends are invited to attend and are requested to wear a mask, observe social distancing and follow all safety guidelines of St. Michael’s Church. The Rite of Committal and inurnment, with military honors, will follow in the Gerald B.H. Solomon-Saratoga National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions, gratefully accepted, may be sent to: Disabled American Veterans (DAV), www.dav.org/ways-to-give/ or to St. Michael the Archangel Church, 175 Williams Road, Troy, NY 12180.
He was predeceased by Mary, his loving wife of 62 years. He is survived by four children, Bernard, Ann (Joe), Mark (Lynn) and Matt (Annemarie), five grandchildren, Luke (Liz), Patrick (Karen), Erin (Mike), Jack and Claire and two great-grandchildren Brendan and Hannah.
If there was one word to describe Bernard it would be joy. He loved life and the world in which he lived no matter what life threw his way.
Barely 18, Bernie found himself in uniform and on a ship bound for England during WWII. He served his country as a surgical technician at the 159th General Hospital in Southern England. Arriving three weeks prior to D-Day, his first patients were the wounded from the Normandy beaches. To his amazement, the first soldier admitted to his ward was a neighborhood friend from home. Honorably discharged, Bernie returned home and soon married Mary Regan, the love of his life. Four children followed, and Mary and the kids became the center of his universe and his family loved him right back. Sunday afternoon car rides to nowhere-in-particular were a weekly event. The annual vacation to Lake George with several other families from around New York and New Jersey was always a highlight and produced great fun and great memories. Bernie loved sports; bowling and golf were favorites and he was a champion horseshoe player. He was a talented craftsman of stained glass and also loved to read and write stories. He wrote poetry throughout his life and could quote passages of leading poets and philosophers; Omar Khayyam was a favorite. He told jokes – lots of them – to the entertainment of everyone he met. No one could ever figure out how he could remember so many jokes. He loved diners where he could always order two eggs, over light, any time of the day. In the later years, the regular Sunday breakfasts, at his favorite diner with family, was a weekly highlight.
When Mary passed in 2012, he moved to the retirement community at Eastwick Circle. His poetry became a regular feature in the community newsletter. He also met Peggy, a fellow resident, and the two became in separable until she passed several months ago.
Diminutive in stature, he had an outsized impact on everyone who met him, compelling proof that you did not have to be of extraordinary size to have an extraordinary impact on people. He was a Renaissance man in this era of narrow specialties. Although he was very proud and delighted with the professional successes of his children, he never suspected that the biggest family success was always him. We will all miss this curious, energetic and loving man all of our days.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated by the Reverend Kenneth Doyle on Monday at 9 am in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 175 Williams Road, Troy. Friends are invited to attend and are requested to wear a mask, observe social distancing and follow all safety guidelines of St. Michael’s Church. The Rite of Committal and inurnment, with military honors, will follow in the Gerald B.H. Solomon-Saratoga National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions, gratefully accepted, may be sent to: Disabled American Veterans (DAV), www.dav.org/ways-to-give/ or to St. Michael the Archangel Church, 175 Williams Road, Troy, NY 12180.