Garry, III, Martin D.
Nov. 19, 1940 - Mar. 14, 2018
Martin D. Garry, III, 77, of Sarasota, formerly of New York, passed away March 14, 2018 after a battle with cancer. Mr. Garry graduated from Cathedral High School, going on to earn his Bachelors Degree from Manhattan College and his Masters Degree from Hunter College. Martin spent his entire educational career at DeWitt Clinton High School as a teacher of Social Studies, the Coordinator of Student Affairs, and Assistant Principal. He was active in the DeWitt Clinton Alumni Association as a teacher, and even after his retirement. A long-time resident of Pelham Bay in the Bronx, NY, Martin retired to Sarasota Fl. He loved to travel, and he loved the opera. Preceded in death by his parents Vincent and Lucy (Galasso) Garry, Martin is survived by his brother Dr. Vincent Garry of Minneapolis, nieces and nephews, numerous friends, and his many students. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Wednesday, March 21st (today) at Saint Martha's Catholic Church in Sarasota. In lieu of flowers, Martin's family requests memorial contributions be made to his school. Toale brothers Funeral Homes, Colonial Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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Published by Herald Tribune from Mar. 20 to Mar. 21, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Martin Iii

Sponsored by Toale Brothers Colonial Chapel - Sarasota.

8 Entries

Maryella Jansen

November 16, 2019

Marty was my cousin, friend, and confidant. I loved him dearly. Not a day goes by that I don't think of Martino. One day he said to me, "My wish is that we will be sitting on a beach together in our old age." We were born in the same year, six months apart. This is his birthday month, once again, we are the same age. One day we will be sitting on that beach together. Rest in peace dear Marty.

marc fleckner

November 15, 2019

Was the greatest teacher I ever had.

Jared Feinberg

November 21, 2018

My high school years at DeWitt Clinton were special years. Those teenage years those rite of passage years from 15-17 are so crucial and so formative. You become a person in high school and go on to manhood upon graduating. Marty Gary was a big part of my high school years. He was a teacher who set an example for us to learn from and follow. He made going to school fun and enjoyable. All the activities we participated in as students were recognized and nurtured under his leadership. He was a gift to so many of us in the Scholarship Class from September '71 - June '74.
Funded by our alumni we had Leadership Weekends out in Netcong, NJ. It was property that the alumni association provided to students to go away for a weekend and learn teamwork and communication skills. As sophomores we learned from seniors, as seniors we learned more by teaching sophomores how to carry themselves like young men going forward. Marty Gary was a prominent staff member who helped organize those weekends and worked with us on those skills.
Marty Gary was a very good history and social studies teacher. I did well in his class. The things I remember most were the things I learned from him outside of class, those discussions and the group events he took our class to enjoy. Marty knew that teaching doesn't just begin and end in the classroom, it was a full time around the clock challenge.
My most memorable moment was working on the school paper, The Clinton News. I was news editor. I remember working my tail off for one particular issue. It was a 6-page issue; normally we just published 4 pages. The issue was released to the school and everyone read it immediately, those being the days before cell phones and internet. I walked into Marty Gary's class and instantly he extended his hand out to me and said Congratulations on an excellent issue! That compliment resonated with me until this day. It taught me how important it was to let someone know they did a good job. It showed me that my work could be meaningful. It made me feel confident and accomplished. It was Marty Gary showing me how to carry myself as a person going forward in life.
I think that close-knit group of us in the Scholarship Class all loved him. We all learned from him, and today we all think of him and miss him. On behalf of so many of us who benefited from his knowledge, his energies and his disciplines, may god bless him and keep him close.

Jared Feinberg
Yorktown Heights, NY
Proud Member of the Class of 1974
DeWitt Clinton H.S., Bronx, New York

November 3, 2018

I was one of Mr. Garry's "cherubs," a term of endearment that anyone who sat in his social studies classroom will likely recall his having invoked with that
glint in his eye.

Marty had a deep and abiding influence on my life as someone who encouraged my "scholarship' in the DWC Scholarship Class,
but who expressed the importance of something deeper just by being him: Being good to others and respecting all people as people!.....And, not taking yourself too seriously!

He didn't convey any of this by preaching what 10th grader would listen to that!!but by just being him.
Learned, but totally real; a scholar with total street-cred, who could somehow connect with a bunch of 15 year olds.

What gifts! What lessons!

I will never forget, as a bright-eyed 10th grader in Mr. Garry's fantastic social studies class,seeing an almost weekly parade of visitors
returning students--knocking on the door to say hi and pay their respects.
Mr. Garry would shake his head, as in, 'I can't believe you're here" and it was obvious that this was a mutual admiration society.

One of the books he had us read, The Peculiar Institution, the story of slavery in the ante-bellum South, helped me understand the deep intergenerational scars of racism.

Marty Garry (always Mr. Garry to me), loved his students and they loved and admired him in return. I am proud to have been one of them.

Gerry Gartenberg
White Plains, NY
Valedictorian '74

April 5, 2018

Doing a check on Martin's current address this morning, I discovered his obituary. I am devastated not to have known of his passing and to be able to attend his funeral. He was my cousin and my dear friend. Daughters Julie and Jenny join me in sending our deepest sympathies and love to his family and to all his friends who experienced his love of life and keen sense of humor.

fjohn reinke (mc1968)

March 21, 2018

The Manhattan College alumni community shares the grief, and is now praying for our fellow alumni and the family at this time. The Alumni Office has been informed. As well as the Jasper Jottings community that I personally can reach. We are all a little poorer now. "No man is an island, entire of itself ... any mans death diminishes me". We are sorry for your loss.

Orlando Rao

March 21, 2018

You will be missed Mr. G. Glad to have met you in the fall of 1969. You were a mentor to me. Glad we kept in touch all of these years.

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