Martin P. Garry

DRACUT - Martin P. "Marty" Garry, 81, a well known Dracut resident, died Monday, February 22, 2010 at the Lowell General Hospital with his loving family by his side. He was the beloved husband of Mary E. (Burke) Garry, with whom he celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 22, 2009.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on June 21, 1928, he was a son of the late Mary (Corrigan) Garry, who died when Marty was only 2 and 1/2 years old and Martin F. Garry. He was also the step son of the late Elizabeth (Shea) Garry, who along with his father raised Marty.

Marty was a graduate of St. John the Evangelist High School in Cambridge. Following high school, he enrolled in the Dominican Seminary and spent 9 years in Theological Studies in Kentucky, Ohio and Washington, DC. He received his Bachelors Degree from Providence College and his Masters Degree from Boston University.

His first position following college was as Principal of the former Middlesex Training School in Chelmsford. He took a position with the Town of Dracut retiring after 32 years as the Assistant Superintendent of Dracut Public Schools. In 2006, the Town of Dracut dedicated the Guidance Suite located within Dracut High School as the Martin Garry and William O'Neill Guidance Suite.

Following his retirement from the Dracut School System, Mr. Garry took a position as a substance abuse counselor with the Lakeshore Hospital in Manchester, NH and following its' closure with the Sobriety Maintenance Center, also in Manchester, NH. His last employment was as Principal of St. Michael School from 1994 until 1997.

He was a friend of Bill W.

Mr. Garry was proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed camping, photography and all Boston sports teams.

He was a former member of the Dracut Democrat Town Committee, Dracut Knights of Columbus, Dracut Rotary, St. Michael Parish St. Vincent de Paul Society, and past president of the Dracut Scholarship Foundation.

Mr. Garry enjoyed spending time with his family and especially with his two adoring granddaughters, Catherine and Molly.

In addition to his wife Mary, he is survived by three daughters, Maureen V. Riordan and her husband Mark of Dracut, State Representative Colleen M. Garry of Dracut and Cathleen E. Garry of Dracut and her longtime companion Leo Durand of Lowell; his granddaughters, Catherine and Molly Riordan of Dracut; three sisters, Mary Molloy and her husband Robert of Norwood; Elizabeth Finch and her husband John of Pelham, NH and Joan Stewart and her husband George of Woburn; a brother, James Garry and his wife Suzanne of Naples, FL; a sister-in-law, Marguerite McNeil of Lowell; special friends, Rayann, Herve, Olivia and Jordan Brioche and Peter Durand, all of Lowell; also many nieces, nephews and friends. He was a son-in-law of the late John and Marguerite (Boland) Burke.