Donald McGarity, 79, of Tamworth, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, at his home, surrounded by his family.
Don was born on Jan 19, 1938, to Anna (O'Donahue) and John McGarity of The Bronx,  N.Y.  
When Don was  4 , his father died at the age of 43. Raised by his mother and grandmother, he attended both Catholic and public schools.  As a teenager, he spent time at a riding academy and traveled the East Coast riding horses and Brahma bulls competitively.  At 17, he entered the Navy, where he proudly completed his service commitment.
k5:Gm(9:=6 H@C<:?8 7@C !2? p>6C:42? 2D 2? 2:C4C27E >6492?:4[ 96 >6E 9:D 3FD:?6DD A2CE?6C[ y2>6D r29:==[ 2?5  E96J AFC492D65 2?5 C2? 2A2CE>6?E 9@FD6D :? qC@@<=J? 2?5 w2C=6>] s@? 3642>6 2 C62= 6DE2E6 3C@<6C[ 2?5 2 46CE:7:65 AC@A6CEJ >2?286C[ 2?5 24E65 2D 2 C646:G6C 7@C 32?<D 2?5 }6H *@C< r:EJ 4@FCED]  w6 2?5 r29:== 7@F?565 r2?5=6 |2?286>6?E :? !2C< $=@A6[ 6>A=@J65 D6G6C2= D2=6D A6@A=6 2?5 >2?2865 9F?5C65D @7 2A2CE>6?ED]  w6 2=D@ D6CG65 2D EC62DFC6C 7@C E96 qC@@<=J? q@2C5 @7 #62=E@CD]   w6 >6E 9:D =:76VD =@G6[  p?? Wp==:D@?X H96? D96 3@F89E 2 9@FD6 7C@> 9:>] %96J >2CC:65 :? `hg`[ 2?5 AFC492D65 2?5 C6?@G2E65 2? `gc_D 72C>9@FD6 :? %2>H@CE9]k3C ^mk3C ^m(9:=6 C6>@56=:?8 E96:C ?6H 9@>6[ s@? 2?5 p??  4C62E65 2 9@>6DE625 H:E9 2? 6IE6?D:G6 G686E23=6 82C56? 2?5 72C> 2?:>2=D] s@? ;@:?65 E96 %2>H@CE9 #6D4F6 $BF25[ 3642>6 2? t|% 2?5 =2E6C[ D6CG65 2D 42AE2:?]k3C ^mk3C ^mx? `hgg[ E96 72>:=J C6=@42E65 E@ $:=G6C {2<6[ }w H96C6 E96J @H?65 2?5 @A6C2E65 %96 {2<6D:56 v6?6C2= $E@C6]  %96 DE@C6 H2D >2?2865 2?5 CF? 2=>@DE 6I4=FD:G6=J 3J 72>:=J H9:49 925[ 3J ?@H[ 8C@H? E@ :?4=F56 D6G6C2= 7@DE6C 49:=5C6?]  %96 E9C66 J@F?8 >6? E96 |4v2C:EJVD 7@DE6C65 F?E:= E96J 6?E6C65 25F=E9@@5[ DE:== DFAA@CE E96>D6=G6D :? E96 C6DE2FC2?E :?5FDECJ]k^5:Gm
k5:Gm k^5:Gm
k5:Gm~? s64] ag[ `hhh[ s@? 2?5 p??VD 52F89E6C r2E96C:?6 5:65 EC28:42==J 2E `g J62CD @=5] vC:67 DEC:4<6?[  E96 4@FA=6 4=@D65 E96 DE@C6 2?5 C6EFC?65 E@ %2>H@CE9]k^5:Gm
k5:Gm%96 72>:=J H2D 4@>>:EE65 E@ D6CG:?8 E96:C 4@>>F?:EJ] !C:@C E@ >@G:?8 E@ }6H w2>AD9:C6[ s@? H2D 2 G@=F?E66C 2E r9C:DE:2? w6=A :? !2C< $=@A6 Wrwx!$X[ 2? @C82?:K2E:@? DE2CE65 3J s@C@E9J s2J[ @7 r2E9@=:4 (@C<6C] w6 2DD:DE65 :? E96 A2?ECJ[ D6CG:?8 >62=D :? E96 D@FA <:E496?[ 2?5 DE27765 E96 D96=E6C @G6C?:89E H96?6G6C 2D<65] w:D 4@>>:E>6?E E@ D6CG:46 5:5?VE DE@A H96? E96 72>:=J C6=@42E65 E@ }6H w2>AD9:C6 :? `hgb] %96 4@FA=6 @A6?65 E96:C 9@>6 2D 2 D96=E6C 7@C 23FD65 H@>6? 2?5 49:=5C6?]   u@C D6G6C2= J62CD[ s@? 2?5 p?? 56=:G6C65 |62=D @? (966=D 2?5 s@? H2D 2 r2C68:G6C G@=F?E66C 5C:G6C] s@?2=5[ 9:D 52F89E6C[ y6??:76C[ 2?5 2 =@42= >65:42= E62> DA6?E E:>6 :? 2 D>2== w@?5FC2? 4@>>F?:EJ H96? s@? H2D 2? t|%] %96 E62>VD 8@2= H2D E@ AC@G:56 >65:42= D6CG:46D E@ 2 4@>>F?:EJ DEC:G:?8 E@H2C5 D6=7\DF77:4:6?4J] *62CD =2E6C[ s@? 2?5 p?? EC2G6=65 E@ }6H ~C=62?D E@ 2DD:DE :? E96 4=62?\FA 677@CED 27E6C wFCC:42?6 z2EC:?2] %9C@F89 2== @7 E96D6 J62CD[  s@? C2? 2 9@>6 C6?E2= 3FD:?6DD]k^5:Gm
k5:Gms@? 2?5 p?? 6?;@J65 EC2G6= 2?5 ;@FC?6J65 E@ t?8=2?5 D6G6C2= E:>6D E@ G:D:E p??VD 72>:=J] %96J 2=D@ G:D:E65 %96 r2C:3362?[ r2?252[  xC6=2?5 2?5 xE2=J 2?5  >256 2? 6DA64:2==J >6>@C23=6 A:=8C:>286 :? a__g E@ xDC26=]  (:E9 6249 G:D:E @G6CD62D[ 6DA64:2==J E@ xE2=J 2?5 xDC26=[ E96 4@FA=6 C6EFC?65 H:E9 6I4:E:?8 2?5 @7E6? 2>FD:?8  DE@C:6D]k^5:Gm
k5:Gms@? H2D 2 7C:6?5 @7 q:== (:=D@? 2?5 sC] q@3 7@C dd J62CD 9@=5:?8 ?62C=J 6G6CJ A@D:E:@? @? =@42= 2?5 5:DEC:4E =6G6=D] w6 96=A65 9F?5C65D @7 A6@A=6 :? E96 AC@8C2> D:?46 `hea[ H2D 2 DA@?D@C E@ >2?J[ 2?5 DA@<6 23@FE E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 Q42CCJ:?8 E96 >6DD286Q E@ 2==] u@C D6G6C2= J62CD[ s@? H2D 2 52:=J 4@>>F?:42?E @7 $E y@D6A9VD #@>2? r2E9@=:4 r9FC49 :? ~DD:A66[ 2?5 >@C6 C646?E=J @7 $E r92C=6D q@CC@>6@ :? |6C65:E9]  k^5:Gm
k5:Gmw:D 8C62E6DE ;@J H2D C625:?8 C6=:8:@FD 2?5 A9:=@D@A9:42= 3@@<D[ AC2J:?8 2?5 >65:E2E:?8]  w6 H2D G6CJ 24E:G6 :? E96 #:89E\E@\{:76 >@G6>6?E 2?5 A2CE:4:A2E65 :? E96 |2C49 @? (2D9:?8E@? 7@C EH6=G6 J62CD 3@E9 3J 2EE6?5:?8 2?5 @3E2:?:?8 DFAA=:6D 7@C E96 >2C49 2?5 E96 `a\9@FC 3FD C:56] w:D 8C2?5D@?[ z:==:2?[ ;@:?65 9:> 7@C @?6 @7 E96D6 EC:AD]k^5:Gm
k5:Gms@? H2D AC656462D65 3J 9:D A2C6?ED[ y@9? 2?5 p??2 |4v2C:EJj 2?5 9:D EH@ 3C@E96CD %9@>2D 2?5 y@9? |4v2C:EJ]k^5:Gm
k5:Gmw6 =62G6D 369:?5 9:D 36=@G65 H:76 @7 be J62CD[ p??j 52F89E6C[ z:>>2C:6 w2>>@?5 @7 "F66?D[ }]*][ 96C 9FD32?5[ {2CCJ[ 2?5 E96:C 52F89E6C[ z2C2j  52F89E6C[ p==:D@? %FC?6C @7 $624=:77[  }]*][ 96C 9FD32?5[ r=2F56[ 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6? r96=D62[ qC@@<6 2?5 r=2F56 x'j  D@? qC:2?[ 9:D H:76[ |6CC:==[ 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6?[ |@==J 2?5 y24<[ @7 !62C= #:G6C[ }]*]j 52F89E6C[ y6??:76C |4v2C:EJ qC@56C[ 2?5 3@J7C:6?5[ s2G:5  vC66?[ 96C D@?[  z:==:2? qCJ2?E[  7:2?4é6 r2DD:6 v2C5?6C 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6? |2C:29[ rJCFD[ 2?5 |4z6??2j 96C 52F89E6C[  $:?625 qCJ2?E[ 7:2?4é6 y@D9 y24<D@? 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6?[ p>@C2[ |2EE96H 2?5 s2G:5j 52F89E6C[  {6?@C2 $2C86?E @7 p=32?J[ 96C 7:2?4é v6@C86 ':6?D[ 2?5 49:=5C6?[  s2?:6= 2?5 p==:6 $2C86?E] k^5:Gm
k5:Gms@? 2=D@ =62G6D 369:?5 >2?J 7C:6?5D :?4=F5:?8 =:76=@?8 7C:6?5D[ y2>6D r29:==[ E@ H9@> 96 DA@<6 6G6CJ 52J 7@C ?62C=J d_ J62CD[ 2?5 #2J ~Vw2?=@?[ 2 36=@G65 36DE 7C:6?5 7C@> 49:=59@@5]k^5:Gm
k5:Gmr2==:?8 9@FCD H:== 36 96=5 %9FCD52J[ |2C49 a[ 7C@> d E@ g A]>] 2E {@C5 uF?6C2= w@>6 2E d_ |@F=E@?G:==6 #@25 :? r6?E6C ~DD:A66] p |2DD @7 r9C:DE:2? qFC:2= H:== 36 46=63C2E65 `` 2]>] uC:52J] |2C49 b[ 2E $E] r92C=6D q@CC@>6@ r2E9@=:4 r9FC49 :? #@FE6 ad :? |6C65:E9] p 3FC:2= H:== 36 =2:5 E@ C6DE ?6IE E@ 9:D 52F89E6C :? E96 r9@4@CF2 r6>6E6CJ =2E6C :? E96 DAC:?8]k^5:Gm
k5:Gmx? =:6F @7 7=@H6CD[ E96 72>:=J H6=4@>6D 5@?2E:@?D E@ %96 r2E96C:?6 |4v2C:EJ $49@=2CD9:A uF?5 2E q62C42>A '2==6J $49@@= 2?5 r9:=5C6?VD r6?E6C[ af sFCC6== #@25[ %2>H@CE9 }w _bgge @C %96 %2>H@CE9 r@>>F?:EJ }FCD6D pDD@4:2E:@?[ gc# |2:? $E] !]~] q@I bda %2>H@CE9[ }w _bgge]k^5:Gm
k5:Gmx7 J@F H:D9 E@ 6IAC6DD 4@?5@=6?46D @C =62G6 2 7@?5 >6>@CJ A=62D6 G:D:E[ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]=@C57F?6C2=9@>6]4@>QmHHH]=@C57F?6C2=9@>6]4@>k^2m]k^5:Gm
k5:Gm k^5:Gm
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.