It is with the heaviest of hearts that the family of Garry Lee Washburn announce his unexpected passing on September 7, 2023. Garry died doing what he absolutely loved and that was riding his smaller Harley Davidson motorcycle he called Piglet – he had told a dear friend that very morning that Piglet was dusty and needed a ride on that beautiful September day.

Garry was born August 3,1961, he the eldest son of the late Emerson "Skip" Washburn and the late Diane Seymour Tougaw. Upon Garry's high school graduation from Jeff Davis High School in Hazelhurst, GA (class of 1980) he enlisted in the United States Army – he dedicated his life to the military retiring in 1995. During that time Garry traveled to Germany, Korea, Japan, Honduras as well as Arizona and Georgia but his most important assignment was at the Army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey. It was there he met the love of his life, Barbara Jean Cornell Washburn. They married in Pemberton, NJ June 11, 1983. Barbara was the love of Garry's life until her untimely passing on October 24, 2015.

Garry proudly served our nation during his time in Georgia he served as a Section Supervisor – his unit specialized in the development and repair of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and night vision devices. He was a Team Leader for Blackhawk data collection while deployed in Honduras. Upon Garry's honorable discharge he and Barbara decided to make their home in Vale, North Carolina. He then accepted a position with Walmart where he worked for the past 18 years.

Garry loved his family and friends – a stranger to Garry was just someone he hadn't spoken to yet. He loved Harley Davidson Motorcycles, going to flea markets, and concerts. Garry loved the NY Yankees, the Buffalo Bills and his Georgia Bull Dawgs – as he called them. He always enjoyed poker runs, he recently rode his Harley Davidson Fatboy from North Carolina to Georgia for a Mission 22 bike rally in memory of his best friend's late son. Any way Garry could give back he did – he especially enjoyed the Christmas Day rides that benefited toys for tots. Many times, we asked Garry to move "back home" and he would always say with a big smile but then I can't ride my bike year round. Whenever he was home, he always visited his favorite Queen of lakes - Lake George and tried to see as many family members and friends as he could.

Left to cherish the memory of Garry is his stepmother, Gladys Washburn of South Glens Falls; his sissy, as he called her, Sandy Ash, her husband Todd and their children, Todd, Jr & Emily (Devon); his adopted brother, Sean Wigley of North Carolina and his son Logan; his sister in law, Debbie along with her children, Jim (Amy), Michael, Larry and Glen; his sister, Susan Strong and her husband Herb, their children Charlie and Joshua (Brittany); great nieces and nephews – Dakota, Nathan, Michael, Maddison, Deacon and Oaklynn. Also surviving are Barbara's sisters, Eileen & Art Ashline, their children James and Raymond, Nancy and Thomas Schlacter, Jr and their son Thomas; Barbara's brother, Mark Cornell and his children Laura, Mark, Jr and Michael. Garry had many cousins and so many friends – his closest being Kenny who resides in Georgia, Kay and Joe of North Carolina and Patti and Jimmer from New York. His beloved K9 friend, HD, Garry said he was named for the hundred dollars he cost but we really think it was for Harley Davidson.

Garry was greeted in heaven by his Father, Emerson "Skip" Washburn, his mother, Diane Seymour Tougaw, his wife who is missed dearly, Barbara Jean, his brother Mark along with his nephew Kyle and great nephew Gavin Roger and his best K9 boy, Butterbean.

Visitation will take place Friday, September 29, 2023, from 11 to 12 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home, 11 Lafayette St., Queensbury, NY 12804.

A memorial service will follow at 12 p.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will immediately follow at 2 p.m. at Gerald B.H. Solomon National Cemetery, 200 Duell Rd., Schuylerville, N.Y.

Condolences and floral arrangements may be sent directly to Baker Funeral Home, 11 Lafayette St., Queensbury, NY 12804, or through www.bakerfuneralhome.com.