Gary H. Graffunder

Gary H. Graffunder came into the world at St. Peters Hospital in the month of July in 1972 and passed away at the age of 53. While his departure leaves an immeasurable void, he has surely left behind many stories, laughs, and questionable adventures to continue to be enjoyed by those who were close to him.

Gary collected nicknames throughout his life. Friends knew him as "Gare-Bear," his father called him "Junior," and his mother affectionately called him the “human ladder”. At two feet tall when he was born, he wasted no time proving his Mom right and spent the rest of his life reaching things on high shelves for everyone else. If you asked Gary about his favorite childhood memories, many would include riding dirt bikes with his father around Voorheesville, building forts (this hobby continued much to his nieces excitement into adulthood), many family trips to Bulwagga Bay, and fishing at Shenmeier’s Pond. Every May the family visited Thacher Park, where Gary viewed marked trails more as suggestions than actual directions. One of his most treasured memories, however, was seeing Ozzy Osbourne with his sister Crystal—a concert loud enough that he probably spent the next week saying, "What?"

As an adult Gary enjoyed concerts with his mother, “Survivor” watch parties with his mother and grandmother, Schoharie canoeing trips and camping adventures with friends and family. He also looked forward to being apart of the Harley Rendezvous every year and was an avid NASCAR fan, with Greg Biffle being his favorite driver.

To know Gary was to love Gary, and if you asked anyone who knew him, “everyone has a Gary story”. If you were to ask his nieces though, these stories would consist of him being a master chef at chicken riggies, spending the week with them when they had the chicken pox, knowing how to win the rigged carnival games, salamander hunting, and staying up to watch COPS when they couldn’t sleep. To them, he wasn't just an uncle—he was part chef, part outdoorsman, part carnival hustler, and full-time fun.

He had a gift for turning ordinary days into memorable ones, often through a combination of determination, humor, and a willingness to take the scenic route—whether anyone else wanted to or not. The stories he leaves behind are as countless as the people who loved him, and sharing them will ensure that Gary's laughter continues to echo long after he's gone. In lieu of tears, Gary would probably prefer that you tell a good story, take a walk off the beaten path, build a fort, watch a race, or spend time with the people you love. Just don't expect to win a carnival game without him.

If there are dirt bikes, fishing holes, NASCAR races, and Ozzy concerts in the next life, Gary has already found them (likely with the help of Crystal)—and probably wandered off the designated trail to get there.

Gary was predeceased by his grandparents, Herman and Domenica Graffunder (paternal) and Louie and Elsie LaDuke (maternal); his sister, Crystal Graffunder; stepmother Eileen Graffunder and his aunt, Chrisi LaDuke. He is survived by his father, Gary Graffunder; his mother, Victoria LaDuke; sister, Domenica (Jonathan) Wagoner; brother, Joseph (Payton) Graffunder; his aunt, Loucinda (Mike) Walsh; and his nieces, Savannah (Scott) Slingerland and Alivia (Mark) Wagoner. He was also a loving cousin, great-uncle, loyal friend, and devoted fur dad to his two cats, Lemmy and Mow Mow.

“When I see you, I’ll see you on the other side.” ~Ozzy Osbourne

Services will be held privately for family and friends.

To share a memory of Gary or leave a special message for his family, please visit the online guestbook.