Garrey’s Obituary Garrey W. Curry, of Liverpool, died on Saturday of complications from Parkinson’s disease. Born in York, Oct. 12, 1941, Garrey grew up on his family’s Livingston County dairy farm.
He lived courageously with the neurodegenerative disorder for 26 years, supported by the love and care of his wife and family. He was well known and admired for his community leadership and, especially, for his dedication as Central New York’s Santa Claus, a personal volunteer mission he began in 1972 to provide holiday magic to area children, families in need, and veterans receiving care at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. During the Vietnam War, Garrey served in the U.S. Army, stationed from 1967 to 1969 in Germany, where he serviced helicopters.
Upon discharge, he became a truck driver for Carolina Freight, where he worked for 30 years, taking his personal vacation time each year from Thanksgiving through Christmas to volunteer as Santa. An active member of the community, Garrey was commander of Liverpool American Legion Post #188, and he served as parade marshal for the Memorial Day parade for more than 20 years. He organized and marched as marshal of the Liverpool parade for the United States Bicentennial and for the Village of Liverpool Sesquicentennial in 1980.
He was also past vice commander of the Onondaga County American Legion and was named Legionnaire of the Year. He served as vice president of the Liverpool Jaycees, earning the organization’s Spoke Award, and was a member of the Boy Scout Troop 65 Fathers Club and the Liverpool United Methodist Church. He was the Onondaga County Democrat committee member for the Town of Salina.
Garrey was an active member of Teamsters Local 317 PAC Committee and Retiree Council. The Central New York Transportation Club named him its man of the year in 1988. He was a member of the Greater Syracuse Labor Council and recipient of its Charley Bugnacki Award for Community Service.
WTVH selected Garrey in 1998 for the national Jefferson Public Service Award. He is predeceased by his parents, Warren and Doris Curry, and by his eldest son, Stephen (Laura) Curry. He is survived by his wife, Diane Gleason Curry; daughters Tracy (Edward) Kenney of Mt.
Morris; Michelle (David) Tillapaugh of Henrietta, and Dawn Curry-Clarry of Liverpool, and his Son Garrey (Sarah) Curry, Jr., of Washington, Virginia. Surviving siblings are his brothers, Alexander (Connie) Curry of Dansville; Warren (Sue) Curry, Jr., of Gainesville, Florida, and Ray (Laura) Paulson of Waterloo, and sisters, Marjorie Chapman of Ft. Worth Texas, and Sharon Barth of Retsof.
He delighted in his thirteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the dedicated staff at the Syracuse VA Medical Center for their compassionate care. Calling hours will be Wednesday, May 29 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Maurer Funeral Home, Inc., 300 Second St., Liverpool.
A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, May 30 at 10:00 am at the Liverpool First United Methodist Church, 604 Oswego St., Liverpool. Burial will be private. Donations in Garrey’s memory can be made to Golisano Children’s Hospital at UR Medicine (Rochester), Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital (Syracuse), or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.
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