Obituary of Gary John Seymour

Gary J. Seymour Guilford--Gary J. Seymour passed away on October 20, 2014 with his loving family holding hands by his side. Gary was born in Deposit, NY on September 11, 1946 to Philip and Dorothy Seymour. He leaves behind the love of his life, his wife, Linda, who shared 45 years of a marriage filled with love and laughter; also, his children, whom he loved and was so proud of: Jeffrey (Christine), Matthew, (Dana), and Laura (Wally) Mertens. Gary was a loving grandfather, "Poppy", to Christopher, Lindsey, Ryan, Evan, Anna, Wyatt, Elliott and Gretta, and through each of these beloved children his legacy will remain. The first 14 years of Gary's life were spent on the family farm in Johnny Brook until the family was forced to vacate due to the construction of the Cannonsville Dam. His passion for the countryside was immeasurable. His love spread from every wooded area, to every winding creek. Even up until very recently, he could be found walking the very same fields that he had walked in his youth. Some of his fondest childhood memories included his brother Phil and his sisters Diane, Faith and Lois. Gary attended and graduated from both Morrisville State University and Arizona State University. He was a highly decorated wrestler at both institutions. In 1997, Gary was placed upon Morrisville's Wall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments including both first place and outstanding wrestler at the 1966 NJCAA tournament. While at Arizona State University, Gary earned a spot as a First Team All American, an honor achieved by very few men. Gary also took sixth place at the 1968 NCAA Wrestling Championship. Gary put forth a great deal of his blood, sweat, and tears into the sport that he loved. He approached it just as he did with his farm back home, with an attitude of respect, dedication, and hard work. Gary and Linda owned and operated Aircove Farms Dairy in Bainbridge for 30 years. In 1993 his son, Jeffrey, became a partner at the farm with his father. Though Gary's accomplishments were seemingly endless, one of his proudest was, being a founding member of the Bainbridge Lions Club. This was a club full of some of his friends who remain very dear to him. For those of us who had the honor of coming in contact with Gary, we were all blessed by his love and filled with nothing but respect for him. He was a man whose word was his bond and whose smile and laughter will forever be synonymous with his memory. He will be missed more than words can possibly express. Friends and family are invited to The Elks Lodge, 104 River Street in Sidney, on Saturday, October 25 from 11-1 for a celebration of his life. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations in Gary's memory to the Bainbridge Lions Club. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.landersfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, Sidney.