William McGarvey, Jr.

William H. McGarvey, Jr. "Bill", age 82, of Drexel Hill, PA on November 7, 2016.



Back in July 2010, a testimonial was published in the Catholic Standard and Times, the since-closed official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The person being honored, Bill McGarvey, then 76, was lauded by the late Cardinal John Foley for "living a life well lived." Cardinal Foley added that it was "wonderful and unique" for a person to receive accolades while alive and vibrant.



"We shouldn't wait for people to be sick or die before we remind them how much we love them and how lost we would be without them," said Cardinal Foley. "It's so refreshing to gratefully celebrate a successful life when there is still more life to live."



On November 7, at his Drexel Hill home, William H. McGarvey, Jr.'s life came to an end following some recent health struggles. He was 82. After word spread regarding the loss of a man who was well known, greatly respected, and significantly loved, a flood of phone calls and social media messages enveloped Mr. McGarvey's appreciative family and friends.



The immediate response of collective condolence and pleasant reminiscence was not surprising.



"Dad had a spectacular faith in times of great joy and deep sorrow, which he relied on throughout his entire life as it provided strength, wisdom, and courage," said daughter Kathy Hidy. "His sense of wonder and curiosity and inquisitiveness always made him seem like the youngest person in the room."



Hidy labeled Mr. McGarvey a "great father who instilled in me the incalculable joy in loving to learn, the excitement of inquiry, debate, intellectual discovery . . . in ushering me into the world of knowledge, ideas, theology, and philosophy."



Mr. McGarvey was deeply immersed in his Catholic faith. A product of Our Lady of Lourdes School in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia and his beloved St. Joseph's Preparatory School, class of 1951, Mr. McGarvey spent some time at St. Charles Seminary before instead choosing the vocation of marriage and fatherhood.



Mr. McGarvey and his wife of 55 years, Barbara, reared five children

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Mary Sheila McDonald, Patty McGarvey Knebels, Kathy Hidy, Bill McGarvey, and Stasia Lozinak. Daily communicants from St. Andrew Parish in Drexel Hill, Mr. McGarvey and Barbara were blessed with 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. At family functions

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local or far

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or the celebration of a personal milestone, Mr. McGarvey and his wife were in attendance just about every time.



Daughter Mary Sheila McDonald said her father "had the absolute conviction in my potential and taught me to dig deep and unearth and polish each unique gift." She said her father "zealously" preached that "each of us woefully underestimates our God-given capacity to do good, make an impact, inspire others and live a life full of tremendous joy and fun! Yes, fun! Dad possessed that exquisite combination of impressive intellect with childlike glee at Christmas or at the swim club or frolicking in the waves at Ocean City. Dad indeed knew that life is not a dress rehearsal. Go big or go home!"



Daughter Stasia Lozinak said Mr. McGarvey "was my greatest champion, my rock, my go-to person." She said her father infused in her a love for the Blessed Mother.

"I fell in love with the miraculous metal that he wore every day even while body surfing in Ocean City, New Jersey," she said. "He would swing Mary on his back and off they would go."



Son Bill McGarvey said his father's greatest gift to his children was to "imbue us with a sense that we shouldn't think in terms of limits, but in terms of possibilities."



One of McGarvey's nine granddaughters, Kate Knebels, 22, was casually asked what she likes most about her grandfather. She captured the true essence of her "Pop Pop" when she said, "I just think he was happiest when other people were happy."



Grandson Richie Hidy said it was "always so evident how much Pop-Pop loved his family."

"I have such fond memories of holidays, summer family reunions at the shore, and Prep football games," he said. "Pop Pop always had a zest for life, but you could tell he loved the moments when everyone in the family was together more than anything. I will miss Pop Pop, and I will always remember the great times we shared together."



Added grandson Blaise Knebels: "Pop Pop was bigger than life and was the perfect father figure for our entire family to look up to."



Mr. McGarvey possessed a distinct sense of humor. His personal lingo included nicknames, words, and phrases that developed a life of their own.



"What can be said about the old 'specialist' that wasn't known to all who knew him?" said nephew Tom McGarvey.



Asked for a free association reference to Pop Pop, grandson Ian Baier, 14, said, "Let's go, St. Joe!" His sister Briana, 16, said, "Everybody of out of the pool."



"My favorite memories of Uncle Bill

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a.k.a. 'Strengthy McGarvey'

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were of the times we spent in Ocean City," said nephew Jim Nelson. "Goggleman, as we called him, would spend hours on the beach and ride the waves with the Nelson boys and always wanted to be the last one to leave the ocean.

"Uncle B could talk about any topic, but he especially loved a good story about sports at the Prep versus that high school we went to in Michigan . . . 'Sister' Rice. But he will be remembered by us, above all, as a man of true faith in Jesus Christ."



Mr. McGarvey's father, "Whitey" McGarvey, was a star swimmer at West Catholic Boys before graduating in 1927. He remained a life-long fixture at his alma mater basically up until the time he died in 1998 at age 89. He and his late wife Libby had three children. Bill and younger brother Jim were St. Joseph's Prep grads while sister Marianne McBrearty, like her mother, attended the Academy of Notre Dame De Namur in Villanova.



After graduating from St. Joseph's College with a bachelor's degree and later Harvard University with an MBA, Mr. McGarvey continued his devotion toward the Prep, an institution run by his beloved Jesuit priests.



A long-time businessman, adjunct professor at several universities, and uncle of eight nephews and one niece, Mr. McGarvey contributed his patented "Prep Prep Prep" bellow at football games regardless of the weather.



"I will so miss sitting with him on the 50-yard line," said long-time friend and 1971 Prep graduate Chris Tretta. "He was a wonderful man. He was one of a kind."



Jim Murray, a 1959 Prep grad who served 46 years as its athletic director, admired Mr. McGarvey's school loyalty and support for its current student-athletes.

"He was not only in the stands, but afterwards he made a point of chit-chatting with the boys and congratulating them whether they won or lost," he said. "You can tell that it meant a lot to them."



Daughter Patty McGarvey Knebels summarized a life that was indeed well lived. "My dad was a man of great faith and conviction," she said. "He lived life to the fullest."



Relatives and friends are invited to his Viewing, Friday, November 11, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, The Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA 19082 (610) 449-0300 and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:50 AM, St Andrew the Apostle Church, 3500 School Lane, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, followed by his Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery.



In lieu of flowers contributions in his memory to St. Joseph's Preparatory School www.sjprep.org/giving or St. Andrew Capital Campaign at the address above would be appreciated.