Arthur "Rock" John Garick III

Service for Arthur John “Rock” Garick III, 75, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, November 11, 2017, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, Irmo with burial to follow in Salley Oakview Cemetery, Salley, SC. The family will receive friends from noon until 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Rock passed away Sunday, October 22, 2017. Born in Richland County, he was a son of the late Arthur John Garick, Jr. and Helen Erwin Smith Garick. He was the husband of the late Cynthia Joyce Marks Garick. Rock was a proud Eagle Scout. He was a graduate of Dreher High School, attended the University of South Carolina and was a graduate of Midland’s Technical College. He became an adjunct instructor at Midlands Technical College and remained a member of the Dreher High School Men’s Monthly Luncheon Group. He was a member of the Professional Construction Estimators Association and retired from LCK Properties where he was a Buyer’s Representative. A proud United States Army Reservist, Rock served his country while stationed at Ft. Jackson, SC and Ft. Sam Hood, San Antonio, TX. He was a member of the Irmo Chapter American Legion Post #174. Rock had a love of nature and the outdoors. Always active, Rock coached his daughters’ softball league teams year after year, where his daughters formed lifelong friendships. He taught horseback riding lessons where one of his students went on to become a University of South Carolina Champion Equestrian as well as a USA Gold Medal Jr. Olympian. Rock was an annual kayak and canoe instructor at the Women’s Retreat at Hickory Knob State Park, SC and he also volunteered annually at the LEAF Festival in Black Mountain, SC. He was a former president of the Midlands Three Rivers Palmetto Paddler’s Association having served for eight years and was a judge for the International Jr. Olympics in kayaking held on the Congaree River in Columbia, SC. Rock had a knowledge of the three rivers and was part of the annual “Clean up the Rivers”, so much so, ETV interviewed him concerning the conservation of the three local rivers. His love of the outdoors went beyond the rivers and kayaks as he also had a love of dancing. Rock was an artist of the Shag. The spring and fall SOS always took him to Ocean Drive Beach, SC where he would dance the South Carolina State Dance and also share his talent and love of the dance by teaching others. During the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and twice after Hurricane Katrina, Rock worked with FEMA. It was during his second mission with Hurricane Katrina he realized his desire to learn how to ride a motorcycle and much to his family’s surprise, Rock purchased a Harley Davidson and rode it home from Louisiana to South Carolina. Rock founded the Tuesday Riding Club of Columbia, SC, became a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, and was honored to be asked to be the Ride Captain of the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club. His never-ending curiosity led him to the City of Columbia Citizens Police Academy, and soon after graduation he became an Assistant Concealed Weapons Permit Instructor. On September 3, 2014, Rock had the privilege of escorting a WWII Veteran on the WWII Honor Flight to Washington, DC. Amongst all of his accomplishments, Rock was most proud of being a husband, father, grandfather and loyal friend. Survivors are his daughter and son in law, Kelley and Kyle Kelly; daughter Allison deClemery Garick; sister-in-law, Coleen Garick; granddaughters, Kadelyn Taylor Kelly, Kinley Kelly, Kylie Watts, Janice Paige Adams; and Linda Davis, loved friend. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Mark Howard Garick, and brother, Whitaker Garick. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com