SOUTH PORTLAND – John “Jack” D. Garvin, 76, of South Portland, died Friday Feb. 10, 2023, at his home.

He was born in Portland, Oct. 20, 1946, the son of Paul and Margaret (Fox) Garvin. The story goes that his mom was quite dismayed that he was born five days too late to attend kindergarten with the rest of the neighborhood boys, therefore, she was left entertaining him for an extra year at the age of 5.

Eventually, Jack entered school and graduated from Cheverus High School. He went on to attend College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. where he played football for four years and majored in economics. He translated his love of math into teaching his teenage children how to do their own taxes, just what every teenager wanted to be doing on a Saturday night. He later earned his master’s degree in Education from the University of Southern Maine.

He married Patricia Anne Libby in 1969 and they raised three children together in South Portland. He was not particularly mechanically inclined, and taught his wife to drive a ‘stick shift’ by handing her the keys to the 1972 VW bug telling her: “don’t be late for work!”

He was a very cautious (slow) driver, a trait he unfortunately passed on to two thirds of his offspring. He was both frugal and generous to the extreme. He would wear the same “dungarees” for years on end yet give neighborhood children brand new expensive sporting equipment if they looked in need. Jack was a quintessential stoic New Englander: he had a gruff exterior and kind blue eyes that betrayed his warm heart deep inside.

Jack taught at Biddeford High School where he also coached football. The friendships he made teaching and coaching in Biddeford lasted a lifetime. Even after he changed jobs to be closer to his South Portland home, he spent many weekends out in the woods on various hijinks with the friends he met from there. He went on to teach and coach football at Deering High School and Portland High School and was named Coach of the Year in 1982 after winning the Class A State Championship as head coach of the Portland Bulldogs.

His final teaching job was at Southern Maine Community College, where he met several other lifelong friends who appreciated his penchant for shenanigans. His children always lamented a snow day because their dad was also “off” school. Jack would be over the moon, meanwhile his kids were knee-deep in the basement on a work project that he dreamed up.

In his younger years, Jack enjoyed hunting and fishing in the northern Maine woods. He loved animals and was known to always have treats ready for any dog who crossed his path. He enjoyed driving slower than you can ever imagine down to Bug Light to sit and watch the maritime traffic in Portland Harbor. Jack was proud of being Irish and fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams to travel to his grandfather’s hometown in Ballyshannon, Ireland. Jack took several other big trips: he visited the USSR behind the iron curtain in the mid-’80s, Ecuador, South America, and his favorite trip ever: traversing the rocky mountain west with his wife on the open road. He was most content with his wife’s amazing cooking, a cat or dog nearby and perhaps a Boston, Mass. area sports team in the background on the TV.

Jack is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia; his children, Kristen L. Garvin and her husband Peter V. Tilney of Kennebunkport, Keith J. Garvin of Freeport, and Paul C. Garvin of Fort Bragg, Calif.; his sisters, Donna Barbalias of Gorham and Christine and Peter Cloutier of South Portland; his grandchildren, Abel M. Garvin, Maxwell V. Tilney and Sadie G. Tilney. He is survived by multiple cousins; and nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents Paul and Margaret Garvin, his in-laws, M. Keith and Delma Libby; and his brother-in-law, Dean Barbalias.

Visiting hours will be at the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland on Wednesday Feb. 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be postponed and scheduled at a later date.

To view John’s memorial page or share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland http://www.arlgp.org or the South Portland Food Cupboard. http://southportlandfoodcupboard.org/