William Garrett "Garry" O'Rourke Obituary

Garry O’Rourke passed away on April 1, 2024. He was born on March 9, 1948, to Maryelizabeth (Betty) Brion O’Rourke and was predeceased by his father, William (Bill) Joseph O’Rourke. He is survived by his siblings Kevin O’Rourke (Debi), Brian O’Rourke (Jan), and Marybeth Harrington (Chuck). Garry was the absolute best uncle to his seven nieces, one nephew, and nineteen great-nieces and nephews.

Born in Philadelphia, Garry's family later settled in Ardmore where he attended St. Denis Elementary school before graduating from Haverford High School in the class of 1966. It was during this time that Garry developed a passion for golf, beginning his caddying career at Overbrook Country Club. This led to him earning a scholarship to Saint Joseph’s University through the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust. At Saint Joseph’s, Garry pursued Latin American Studies, studying abroad in Mexico and becoming fluent in Spanish under the mentorship of Charles Schreiner. He earned his BS in Economics from St. Joe’s and later his Masters in Economics from Penn State University.

Garry's professional journey began as a Resident Director at Girard College in Philadelphia, where he taught Spanish and served as the President of their Union for many years. For the past twenty-seven years, Garry served as a property manager with Columbus Property Management, a member of the Mission Housing group dedicated to developing and managing affordable, equitable, safe, and sustainable homes. Garry's work involved tenant selection, lease negotiation, and ensuring the well-being of residents, fostering numerous close friendships along the way. Garry also invested in rental properties on his own and thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on work of renovating each house.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Garry cherished family gatherings, shared meals with friends, attending Phillies games, golfing, reading, and driving his classic 1979 yellow VW Beetle. He had a deep interest in history, enjoyed travel, and valued time spent with his Spanish conversation group and as a member of the Ethical Society of Philadelphia, where he served on the Board.

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