Gary Christopher

1950 - 2024

Gary Wilmer Christopher, 73, of Edgewater Md. died peacefully in his sleep on March 31, 2024 from complications of Parkinson's Disease. Gary was devoted to his family, Orioles baseball and Carolina basketball. He was a croquet enthusiast, saxophone player, hobby genealogist, amateur actor, once aspiring pastor and an attorney who helped abolish 375 years of capital punishment in Maryland. Gary was born on April 5, 1950 in Easton Md and graduated from Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg. He earned an English degree from North Carolina Wesleyan University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He clerked for Judge Marvin H. Smith of the Maryland Court of Appeals (now Supreme Court) and then spent 35 years as a state and federal public defender. For much of his career, he represented clients facing the death penalty. Gary's intervention on behalf of Kirk Bloodsworth led to Bloodsworth becoming the first person on death row in the United States exonerated by DNA evidence. Gary participated in numerous commissions and task forces studying the death penalty and represented the last person executed in Maryland, Wesley Baker. His work and his advocacy for his clients over the years helped pave the way for the abolition of the death penalty in Maryland in 2013. Gary often said that you cannot judge a person by the worst day of their life. His work as a public defender and his Unitarian Universalist faith were founded on an unwavering belief that each person has inherent worth and dignity, a principle his children have adopted. Despite his hard work in a stressful profession, Gary was at his best outside of the courtroom with his family, friends and colleagues. He shared his unique blend of kindness, generosity and unending curiosity with everyone around him. He researched and wrote a history of his wife's family, primarily in Maryland, dating back to the 1640's. He coached youth baseball and for years administered an NCAA basketball tournament pool (for fun only) for dozens. After retiring from the Federal Public Defender's office in 2015, Gary maintained a small, part time solo practice for a few years, traveled, gardened, made ambitious family dinners, rediscovered the saxophone and took up boxing. He loved spending time at a family home in the Northern Neck of Virginia, fishing, trying his hand at sailing and spending time with extended family. He was always there for his grandchildren, whether it was an unexpected school snow day or a week of Camp PopPop, hunting for shark's teeth at Calvert Cliffs. Gary is survived by his wife of 41 years, Margaret Evelyn Spurgin, their children, Rebecca Christopher (Kevin Hilgers) of Mt. Ranier Md and Ben Christopher (Jessica Deardorff) of Baltimore; five grandchildren, August, Maeve, River, Eloise and Charlie; sister Kate Mitchell of Baltimore and brothers David Christopher of Baltimore and Bill Christopher of East New Market. He was predeceased by his parents Jack Christopher and Clara Mae Morris Woodman and brother John Christopher. The family is immensely grateful for the compassionate care he received the past two years at BrightView South River. A memorial service is scheduled for May 19, 2024 at 2:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, 333 Dubois Rd., Annapolis MD. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis or The Parkinson's Foundation, (https://www.parkinson.org). Online guestbook available at: