In Memory

Garland Harry



 
  Post Comment

07/01/21 03:01 PM #1    

Sharon Quinlan (Sanders)

Published in The Napa Valley Register: 

Garland Ray Harry passed away peacefully on February 19th, 2016.

Gar was born in Vallejo, California on Thursday February 11, 1943 to Orville Harry and Ileen Myers Harry. He was one of two children along with his younger sister Colleen. During his formative years, his dad worked in construction which led to the family living in several states throughout the mid-west including Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Missouri and Texas. His family moved so often that in one school year he attended 7 different schools. He recently produced a note from one of his grade school teachers commenting that it was hard to get to know him since he was only in that school for one week.

 

He spent much of his younger years hunting and fishing in Kansas and Missouri before moving to California. As a teenager in 1959, his family moved to Napa, and in 1961 he graduated from Napa High School where he was an accomplished track athlete. Immediately after High School he went to work for Kaiser Steel and later Mare Island as a pipe welder. Gar spent the rest of his adult life living in Napa.

 
 

During his time at Mare Island he also attended Napa Valley College. In 1963 he married Toni Imboden and they started their family having a daughter, Kim. In 1966 Gar became a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the Napa Sheriff’s Department. They had a son, David, in 1968 and soon after he became a fulltime Deputy Sheriff.

 

Over the years with the Sheriff’s Department Gar held many positions such as deputy, SWAT leader, Range Master and Investigator. He rose through the ranks as a corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and finally he retired as a Captain in 1998 after 30 years of service. While with the Sheriff’s Department he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and in 1995 he attended the FBI National Academy.

 

He enjoyed teaching and taught classes at Napa Valley College for 20 years and Hunter Safety classes for 25 years. Two years after retiring from the Sheriff’s Department, he went to work for the Napa County District Attorney’s Office as an investigator where he worked for 10 additional years.

Above all, Gar made his family a priority and enjoyed spending time with them. He was always busy and preferred spending his time outdoors if possible. He coached track and baseball and enjoyed many hobbies including classic cars, hunting, shooting, fishing and RVing with family and friends. He was an avid reader and could often be found reading about the old west or the way mountain men survived away from civilization.

 
 

Gar is survived by his wife Toni of 52 years, his daughter Kim Tompkins, son David (Carolina) Harry, grandchildren Jason, JoAnna, Thomas, Brynnley, and Jackson and his sister Colleen Fuller. He also leaves behind many extended family members here and in Kansas as well as his dog Clea. Gar is predeceased by his father Oroville, his mother Ilene and his Basset Sadie.

At Gar’s request no public services will be held.

A special thank you to Napa Valley Hospice for their kindness in making this time much easier for the entire family.


  Post Comment