Garth Richard Drewry

Garth Richard Drewry lived to the happy, old age of 95. His spirit left his body on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Garth was born in Kingsville, TX and moved to Tacoma, WA; NY, NY; and then Springfield, Mass by the time he was ten years old. College was at Yale, class of 1948, in New Haven, CT, matriculating at 16 and graduating at 19, majoring in Zoology. Garth went on to Harvard for medical school in Boston, Mass. His medical residency was in California (better weather!). His military service during the Korean War was at MacDill AirForce base in Tampa, Florida where he vowed to never live in snowy lands again. Garth found his bride in the northeast but quickly converted Anne Carolyn Seashore to his Florida warm weather ways. He semi-retired to Brandon, Florida; fully retired to Lithia, Florida; and finally, moved to be close to family in Atlanta, GA, which never quite measured up to The Sunshine State.

Garth was smart and gentle, curious and kind, a terrific dad, and an enthusiast. He had many avid pastimes: beach trips, biking on a ten speed, biking on a tandem, biking on a unicycle (Garth biked into his 90s), collecting ancient coins, collecting antiquities, collecting oriental rugs, collecting antique books, mystery books, bargain books, and really any books, eating ice cream and sherbet, following the stock market, watching and rewatching movies, especially old musicals, participating in musical theater in his 20s, listening to music of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, running, including in Tampa's first Gasparilla Road Race in 1978 (Garth jogged into his 80s), scuba, snorkeling, shell collecting, and travel with his family to far flung spots, Greece and Antigua being his favorites.

Garth, caring deeply about education, was on the founding board of Tampa Prep, on the board of Hillsborough Community College, and was appointed to the Hillsborough County School Board. Garth was an environmentalist decades before anyone else was talking about it, particularly in relation to water issues in Florida: he won his xeriscaping battle with the HOA and worked on converting neighbors to like minded concerns of water scarcity. Garth was a supportive member of the Sierra Club, The World Wildlife Foundation, and the Nature Conservancy, gravely concerned with protecting endangered species. Garth rescued hundreds of turtles from Florida roadways. Garth was passionate about dogs, never meeting one he didn't love, though his first dog, a tiny french bulldog/terrier mix named Monster, always held his highest canine esteem. Garth was a radiologist at Radiology Associates of Tampa when it was founded at Tampa General, staying there for a 50 year career as it grew to multiple locations. Nobody related to Garth has ever loaded a dishwasher so meticulously every time.

Garth leaves behind his beloved Anne, his wife of 62 years, 9 months and 20 days. Garth will be terribly missed by his four children, their three spouses, and the ten beloved grandchildren: Raymond and Susan, Eleanor, Catherine, and George Drewry; David and Roberta, Devin, Michael and Sneha, Carolyn, and Grace Drewry; Douglas Drewry; Elizabeth and Andy, Julia, Drew, and Sophie Beck. Garth is also survived by his wonderful, younger sister, Constance Drewry Farnsworth and her children, grandchild, and great grandchild. Garth’s amazing caregivers can't be left out of the list of those he loved and who loved him so well: Jackie, Reniece, Aloma, Michelle and Dani. Garth's family is thankful for the caring workers at Sunrise of Buckhead, especially Garth's favorites, Claudia and Epey. The family also holds gratitude for the Trinity Hospice Care team.

The family has had a small service. In lieu of flowers or donations, please text someone you love and tell them how important they are to you. Even if you live to 95, life is short. Be swift to love and make haste to be kind.