Gary Leon Hartgrove

Gary L. Hartgrove was born to Maggie Blanche Hartgrove on November 20, 1965. He transitioned his earthly life on September 25, 2025. Born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey, he graduated from New Brunswick High School in 1983. Gary attended Rutgers University and Morehouse College until he returned to New Jersey to care for his ailing mother. Gary began his law enforcement career as a correctional officer at Middlesex County Jail. He subsequently joined the Franklin Township Police Department in 1987 where he dedicated himself to serving and protecting his community as a patrolman, detective, and retired as a Sergeant in 2007. Commendable highlights of his career were delivering a baby, saving a suicidal individual, and being bestowed the Meritorious Service and Honorable Service Awards.
Having started from humble beginnings, Gary's determination and perseverance shaped him into a kind-hearted and goal-oriented man. He exhibited a thoughtful, caring, and generous spirit and often gave effortlessly to and cared for others. His patience, devotion, and protective nature ensured the wellbeing of all those close to him and crafted him into a loving father, father figure, and "pop-pop". Gary had a love for music and often thought he had the voice of Luther Vandross and David Peaston. No matter how many years passed, he wanted to display the martial arts training he received in the old New Brunswick projects by showing and even betting that he could still perform a round house kick. Some of his favorite pastimes were traveling, carefully "creating" culinary dishes, making people laugh, and being a collector of just about any and everything (whether he needed it or not). A resourceful man, two of Gary's favorite adages were "better to have and not need than to need and not have" and "God bless the child who has his own".
As a former high school and college football player at Morehouse College, Gary was an avid football fan and could be found at Rutgers, Jets, and Eagles games during the football season. Gary also was the defensive coordinator for the New Brunswick Raiders Pop Warner football team for nearly a decade. One of Gary's favorite defensive formations being "62- Smash." Gary's high standards, no-nonsense, hard-nose approach to the game were known to motivate his players to transcend; leading them to three championship winning seasons.
With strength, courage, and charisma, Gary lived his life meaningfully, purposefully, and unapologetically. In the face of adversity, he met any and every challenge fearlessly. Throughout his life, Gary maintained a personal relationship with God.
Gary was predeceased by his mother Maggie Blanche Hartgrove, daughter Sha Hartgrove, brother Willie Hartgrove, uncles: Gilbert and Frank Hartgrove; aunts Flossie Hartgrove and Georgia Christine Hartgrove Eubanks, and coaching partner Donnie James. Left to cherish Gary's loving memory are his son Darrius Hartgrove; brother Anthony Hartgrove; aunt Maggie Hartgrove; uncle Reverend Eddie Hartgrove; bonus children: Kevin C. Grandberry, Samona Proctor, Arisa Sawyer, Maha Coleman, and Karim Sawyer; a special-nephew Shon Grandberry; grandchildren: Elijah Grandberry, Jada and James Hair-Sawyer, Makayla and Mackenzie Turner, Myrah Lawson, Preston Proctor, Peyton Proctor, Amarise Sawyer, and Autumn Coleman; goddaughter Alexandra James and a host of family and friends.
This Online Memorial has been created to commemorate the life of Gary Leon Hartgrove. Leave a message on the Tribute Wall to share your favorite memories and offer words of sympathy and comfort.