Garry "Candy" L. Candland

Garry L. Candland, born August 27, 1953 in California died peacefully at Mease Dunedin Hospital’s ICU in Dunedin, Florida (in the penthouse corner room) the morning of January 27, 2023 with the love of his life, Victoria Souza, right by his side. He was 69. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer two months earlier, and it was aggressive and just not possible to overcome while maintaining any quality of life. A day and a half before he died, he said, “if we can go for something big so I can stick around and have fun, let’s go for it.” He was a fighter, right to the end. He also made his choice about how to proceed once we learned the worst about his cancer while he was totally himself, and he switched up his plans gracefully and without hesitation. He was just worried about us in the end, saying “I have the easy part.”

Garry grew up in San Lorenzo, California, in the Vias (neighborhood) and attended San Lorenzo High School, graduating in 1971. He once bragged to me that he was the only guy he knew invited to prom all four years of high school (author can’t confirm). He was an exceptional tennis player and was inducted into the San Lorenzo High School Athletic Hall of Fame in the 2010s. He was still in touch with great friends from California until his dying day.

Garry married Norma Jeanne DuGay in the late 70s and moved to Maine in 1980, the year their daughter, Bree, was born. Garry was a master optician for decades at Acadia Eye Care (in Ellsworth) and Gaetani Eye Care Associates (in Old Town) and particularly enjoyed delivering glasses to homebound patients. He was the kind of guy who went out of his way for people.

Garry played and coached sports—basketball, golf, hockey, softball, and tennis come to mind, and was a committed sports dad to both Bree and her younger (more athletic) sister, June. He was the fun dad who doted on his daughters’ friends and we are grateful for the Shakespeare on the River adventures and the “fun checks” after all. Garry is survived by daughters Bree Candland (and her husband, Dan Burson) and June Candland (and her husband, Tyler Holden), siblings Larry and Nancy, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews (many of whom would say Uncle Garry was their favorite). He was Papa to Rylin and Connor.

Garry moved to Florida after retirement and reconnected with a childhood friend from the Vias, Vicki Souza, in 2016, and the last 7 years of his life were surely his happiest. They adventured all across the United States in their VW Beetle—stopping at *so* many Civil War sites (Vicki—you’re a trooper!) and traveled across Spain together. They put the top down, took the back roads, and just enjoyed being together. All Dad wanted in the end was for us to all make sure Vicki is okay, so we’ve all got to do that for him—long-term. We promised.

We also can’t write about Dad’s life without talking about the incredible softball family he found in the 3 Score Softball League. Dad was called Candyman or Candy (for short) on the field, and he took pride in being fast out there—a designated runner, even just a few months ago. Jack Albertson, 3 Score League President, kept the whole league updated through Dad’s illness and wrote this—“We used to get a kick out of it. Often times Garry would point his finger out into left field like Babe Ruth letting you know that’s where he was going to hit it, as if we didn’t already know.” The league has been praying for Dad and his teammates showed up big for him in his last days. I overheard him telling one of his teammates the other day in the ICU, “I’ll see you on the other side. What position do you want? I’ll save it for you.” We all hope he’s running the bases as fast as ever right now.

Dad really didn’t want a fuss and we don’t have plans for a memorial service. We hope that folks who knew him will toast to him and I imagine his 3 Score and Honeymoon Park families here in Dunedin will gather at some point soon in his honor. He’s asked us to have him cremated and to scatter his ashes in his three homes—California, Maine, and Florida. If you want to join us at one of those locations, reach out. Instead of flowers, please donate to your local animal shelter. Dad loved animals and got right down on the ground to play with dogs and cats alike. Right before Dad started his end-of-life comfort care, his wonderful neighbors, Mack and Susie Petty, brought their yorkie Brody (Dad’s neighborhood bestie), to visit in the ICU. Dad perked up the minute the door opened and called out “Broman!” We are extra grateful for that comforting visit for him at just the right time.

Anytime you go out of your way for a stranger, do a good deed for a neighbor (he seriously put up Christmas lights for friends in four houses a month ago), or run the bases (even metaphorically), think of him.