Dennis "Denny" James McGarry

Oct 2, 1949 - Aug 20, 2026

For a man famous for his Irish goodbyes – leaving someone’s home or a gathering without saying goodbye – it was fitting that Dennis’s last goodbye was an Irish one.

Dennis “Denny” McGarry, 76, of Spokane, Washington, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2026 surrounded by family after struggling with Lewy Body Dementia for several years.

Dennis was born on October 2, 1949 in Walla Walla, Washington to James and Viola McGarry. He was the second born and the only son of seven children.

Dennis lived in Ayer Junction along the Snake River until he was 7. In 1956, the family moved to Marengo Junction. Dennis attended school in Ritzville from 3rd through 12th grade.

He had a wide and varied career with many occupations, including running a candle-making business, making canopies, working as an electrician, driving a taxi, and assembling keyboards at Keytronic in Spokane Valley.

After he earned his civil engineering degree from Spokane Community College, he moved to San Jose to be close to his children, Deidra and Daniel, and grandsons, Damien and Jacob. He was very proud of his job as an Onsite Building

Inspector during the construction of the Stanford

Stadium from 2005 to 2006.

After he retired, Dennis bought a house near Lake Coeur d’Alene in Harrison, Idaho. His son Daniel joined him in Harrison and lived with Dennis for a couple of years after graduating from high school.

During retirement, Dennis enjoyed the Lake Coeur d’Alene nature and wildlife. He kept in touch with his sisters and children by sending photos of ospreys in their nests and deer in his yard as well as texting reminders that a Gonzaga basketball game was about to start.

Thoughtful and generous, Dennis was known for his gift-giving. His hospitality was as famous as it was surprising. When his sisters visited him in Harrison, he would bring us a perfect cup of coffee first thing in the morning, whether we were ready for it or not. We could count on a phone call in the afternoon while we were at the beach asking what time we’d be returning to the house so he could have hamburgers and hot dogs grilling on the barbecue for us.

Dennis is survived by his daughter Deidra Rynazewski and son Daniel Rynazewski; grandsons Damien Spencer and Jacob Wells; sisters Barbara Greenwalt (Ron), Marcia Matthaei (Dick), Shannon Moen (Dennis), Mary Patterson, and Amy McGarry (Mustapha Chaoukouri); 17 nieces and nephews; and many, many great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by parents James and Viola McGarry; sister Susan Holmes; brother-in-law Dick Matthaei; and nieces Angela Braun, Sarah (Moen) Lewis, and Tessa Patterson.

A celebration of life will be held on September 12 at 1:00 PM at Commons Event Services at Mukogawa U.S. Campus, 4320 W Owens Ridge Rd, Spokane, WA 99224.