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Brian Patrick McGarry, 65, of Rotterdam passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 18 surrounded by his loving family after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. Born April 28, 1957, in Schenectady, NY, the son of the late James and Aileen (O'Connor) McGarry. He was a graduate of Draper High School class of 1975. He went on to attend SUNY Geneseo where he played baseball and received a degree in Speech Communications in 1979. After graduating he started McGarry Photography and worked as a cameraman for Channel 6 for 11 years. He married the love of his life, Patricia (Piersante) McGarry, on October 29, 1983. Brian and Patty raised six children. He was a devout husband and father. He always found a way to be involved in each of his children's lives and made sure to go on yearly family trips. He was a religious education teacher and coached several of his children's sports teams. After having three children, Brian decided to go back to school to pursue teaching and graduated with a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from The College of Saint Rose in 1992. He taught briefly fourth and fifth graders at Jefferson Elementary School in the Schalmont School District before accepting a job at Duanesburg Central Schools where he would go on to teach sixth graders for the next 24 years, beloved by his students and coworkers. He was a man of faith and devout moral convictions and decided to run for public office in the early 2010s. He served as a legislator and later became Minority Leader of the Schenectady County Legislature from 2013 to his final days.
 

Brian was always a talented athlete who played baseball, hockey, golf, cross-country, and football. He maintains his record as the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter in SUNY Geneseo baseball history. In his retirement he became an avid pickleball player where he truly enjoyed the pickleball community as much as the game itself. He was a gifted photographer from his early teens developing photos in his dark room, a talent that served him well amongst friends, family, and later during his years as a wedding photographer. Brian enjoyed organizing and holding several social gatherings, always with a more-the-merrier attitude. Traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve parties with family and friends were filled with laughter and love. He formed fond memories with his tightly knit college friends in yearly golf trips aptly named "The Econo Cup" for their frugal use of lodging. He organized and looked forward to his yearly ice-fishing trips to Port Henry and Cooperstown.
 

The family would like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of love and support shown to our Dad over the years as he has battled this disease. A special thanks to Dr. Christopher Logothetis and Claudette Mendoza, NP of MD Anderson in Houston, TX as well as Dr. David Shaffer locally of NYOH for the life-changing treatment and care he received; we will be forever grateful. The journey started in January of 2014 and led Brian and Patty across the US looking for second opinions and any clinical trial with hope. Over the course of several years Brian was on a countless number of treatments in effort to extend his life. In the latter years when treatment options in the US grew slim the journey led them to Israel and Germany where treatments extended our Dad's life long enough to see several monumental family events. He was so loved and we are thankful to God for his life.
 

In addition to his parents, Brian was predeceased by his brother, Gregory, a nephew Patrick McGarry, father and mother-
 

in-law, Peter and Marie (Ziobrowski) Piersante, brother-in-law, Fred Piersante. He is survived by: his wife, Patricia (Piersante) McGarry, six children, Kelly (Matthew) Slaughter, Connor, Lauren (Philip) Graziadei, Ashlyn, Sean, and Patrick, three grandchildren, Mason and Luke Slaughter, Giovanni Graziadei, brother Michael (Kathy) McGarry, two sisters, Maureen (David) Hughes and Celia McGarry, sister-in-law June (the late, Gregory) McGarry, brother in-law, Michael (Mary Ellen) Piersante, sister-in-law, Mary Ann (Hal) Monty, several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and an abundance of friends… Brian will be truly missed.

Donations can be made in the memory of Brian to MD Anderson online or to MD Anderson Cancer Center, PO box 4486 Houston, TX 77210-4486 or Corporate Angel Network online or at Westchester County Airport, One Loop Road, White Plains NY 10604.