William Garth QUIDLEY Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

It is with great sadness we share the loss of William Garth Quidley who passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Friday June 17, 2022 at the age of 63. He was the cherished son of Elma Monica Quidley and the late Ronald Hooper Quidley; beloved partner and husband to Chelle Quidley (nee Creed); loving father to Will (Shelly) Quidley and Amy (Scott) Barriger; treasured step-father to Olivia Kearns and Cecilia Kearns; adored grandfather to Emily Beilsten and Nicole Shaw; dearest brother to Kevin Quidley, Shawn Quidley and Heidi Seitz; loving uncle, brother-in-law, cousin and friend to many, whom he loved like family. Garth was a generous teacher and incredible inspiration to many in his lifetime, but especially during the last year of his life. Despite his struggles, he met his challenges head on; everyone he came in contact with witnessed and admired his indomitable spirit, his love of family and his love of life. Garth worked for over 20 years as a hod-carrier before deciding to work for himself as a painter, remodeler, and man of many talents. Garth was very inquisitive at an early age; taking apart his brand-new toys to see how they worked, then seeing if he could put them back together, was a favorite pastime. Both of his grandfathers were boat-builders, and he spent a lot of time with his maternal grandpa, watching him work and learning through observation. He also enjoyed building models as a child, eventually leading to bigger things, and in his teenage years he learned about working on cars with his father. As an adult, Garth was introduced to bird carving by his dad. He quickly excelled at carving and painting ducks, winning many awards for his lifelike carvings, even taking a ribbon at the World Championship Wildlife Carving Competition. This was a big part of his life for many years as he perfected his art. In his teen years, Garth began playing guitar, and played bass guitar in a small band with his friends for several years. He stopped playing for many years, but took it up in later adulthood when duck carving grew old. Out of necessity he learned to make small repairs to guitars, for himself and friends, before a friend told him about guitar building kits. Once he had built a kit guitar, there was no stopping him and he became a self-taught luthier, soaking up knowledge from websites and videos. He created his own “GQ” brand of guitars, ultimately building over 80 beautiful solid-wood guitars. Garth was very talented and creative and made wooden model ships, wooden cars and trains, wooden kinetic sculptures, and model boats and cars with motors to run. He could refinish furniture, repair engines and any number of mechanical things, and has created more treasured objects, in a variety of mediums, than could possibly be listed here. He got great joy out of giving a gift he created to an unsuspecting friend, whether it be a feather pin or a guitar. While Garth was proud of his accomplishments, the people he loved and his relationships with them were most important to him. He was a man who never placed a high value on money or material possessions, but was wealthy beyond measure in his loving relationships with family and friends. He was exceedingly generous, always offering to help whoever he could, whenever he could, whether it be with sound logical advice (a.k.a. a “Garth lecture”), teaching and sharing knowledge, or fixing any number of things. With his vast knowledge, Garth was rarely without something to fix or someone to help! He was always pleased to be able to lend a hand or offer advice. He made many long-time friends through his generous teachings in bird carving, guitar building and home remodeling. Garth was genuine and honest, not only with others but also with himself. He was a keen observer of people; though others might disappoint him, he was quick to forgive, as he was honest with himself about his own shortcomings. In his dealings with everyone, Garth always tried to be fair, kind and compassionate. He would speak to and treat everyone the same, no matter if they were wealthy or a beggar on the street, and was a friend to anyone who wanted his friendship. He was witty, funny and enjoyed making people laugh. He not only built and repaired things, but he was also a builder (and fixer) of relationships with family and friends, which he treasured above all else. Garth was many things to many people and his family and friends will remember him fondly, as he leaves behind a legacy of beautiful creations, love and friendship. Interment of his ashes will be Thursday, June 30th at 10am, outside, at the St. Charles Memorial Gardens. In staying with Garth’s wishes, a Celebration of Life gathering will be planned; details will be provided at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family would request donations be made to your favorite charity.

William Garth QUIDLEY

March 2, 1959 - June 17, 2022