Maureen J. Garrity

1948 - 2019

QUINCY -- Maureen J. Garrity, Ph.D., 70, died surrounded by friends on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, following a long and courageous fight with breast cancer. She was born June 23, 1948, in Bakersfield, Calif., the daughter of Joan and William Garrity.

Throughout her career, Dean Garrity was an exemplar of professionalism with a long-standing record of dedication to the well-being of students. For her efforts, she has been recognized at the CU School of Medicine with various awards, including the Chancellor's Teaching Recognition award in 2013, the Faculty Professionalism Award in 2016, and nationally with the 2014 Association of American Medical Collages (AAMC) Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Exemplary Service Award.

She was particularly impactful in supporting student-led programs on social determinants of health, leadership and community service. In 2016, honoring her longtime commitment to the University of Colorado School of Medicine and its medical students, the Maureen Garrity Endowed Scholarship Fund was established. After retiring in 2017, students gathered to pay tribute to her by showcasing numerous programs that would not have occurred without Dean Garrity's vision and encouragement.

Maureen was active with the AAMC/GSA for a number of years, serving as the Western representative to the Committee on Student Affairs and then as its chair, and she was National Chair of the AAMC Group on Student Affairs from 2010 to 2011.

Maureen's impact on students, faculty, staff and colleagues across the country was truly amazing and leaves an immeasurable legacy of educators, physicians, leaders and friends.

Maureen received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis in physiological psychology. She did her post-doctoral training in endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Washington, Seattle, and subsequently joined the faculty in the Department of Medicine. In 1983, she came to the University of Colorado.

After suffering a recurrence of cancer in September of 2016, she retired after 34 years at the university in March of 2017 and moved to Estes Park, Colo., where she was able to explore her love for cooking, sewing, quilting and photography.

An ardent traveler, Maureen and her partner, Nan Ryan, made two trips to New Zealand, two to Switzerland, one to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Ireland and Costa Rica, plus many trips to her beloved Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Seattle and Oregon.

Maureen helped establish the Nan Ryan Invitational in Estes Park in 2004, a golf tournament with proceeds going to the Estes Park Junior Golf Program. For 16 years she was a year-round volunteer for the Pepsi Little People's Golf Championships in Quincy, an international junior golf tournament, and was awarded its Volunteer of the Year award for her long service in 2017.

She is survived by her partner of 16 years, Nan Ryan; her sister and brother-in-law, Annette and Kent Gruber; her cats Sterling and Taz; several siblings; an aunt; uncles; nieces; nephews; and cousins.

SERVICES: Celebrations of her life will be held in Denver, Estes Park, and Quincy later in 2019.

MEMORIALS: University of Colorado Maureen Garrity Endowed Scholarship Fund at giving.cu.edu/GarrityScholarship, or to the Maureen Garrity/Little People's Scholarship Fund, Mary Jo Hunt, 2030 Lind, Quincy, IL 62301.

ARRANGEMENTS: Horan and McConaty Funeral Home, Denver, Colo.

WEBSITE: horancares.com.

Condolences may be expressed online at whig.com.