A celebration of Garrick's life will be on Saturday June 16th from 3PM-7PM. It will be at the Centennial club house in Peachtree City. Anyone who knew Garrick or knows myself or the kids is welcome to attend. We are planning on making this a fun event and it will be very much how Garrick would have wanted it to be. There will be food, corn hole, and even a water bounce house for the kids. So please come and join us for a fun afternoon.
This memorial website was created in memory of Garrick Layman 43 years old, born on January 14, 1975 and passed away on May 12, 2018. We will remember him forever.
Garrick was diagnosed with melanoma over 4 years ago but he never wanted to be defined by his illness. He didn’t want people to treat him differently because he had cancer. He wanted to continue living his life to the fullest, celebrating life’s moments with his friends and family as he had always done.
There were three things Garrick loved most in this world: his family, sports and traveling. Whenever he had the opportunity to combine all three he did. Conveniently all of our vacations seemed to revolve around a sporting event. When we traveled to Phoenix, we went to a Phoenix Suns game; a trip to Boston – we would take in a Red Sox game; in Chicago to visit family, we went to a White Sox or Cubs game.
He was always involved with coaching the boys’ soccer, baseball, and basketball teams. He hated to sit on the sidelines and coaching allowed him to combine two of his greatest loves: family and sports. He would spend hours making line ups for his teams. Some joked he was the best 1st/2nd grade basketball coach they had ever seen because he won a championship with both our boys at this age level. He loved every minute of the time he spent coaching our sons.
Vacations...well they were not for relaxing. They were for exploring. While in the Bahamas, he insisted I do a walking tour of the historical center instead of sitting on the beach because there was so much to see and learn. In Arizona, we drove from Phoenix, to the Grand Canyon, and to Monument Valley with our 2 boys that are known for getting car sick. He had such a thirst for knowledge and loved exploring new places. It seems he never lost that wide-eyed wonder of childhood when everything about the world excites you.
He was also athletic and seemed to excel at all sports. He could out shoot everyone at basketball, hit a baseball over the fence at the little league fields, and kick field goals
at the football fields. He was able to do all of those things with very little effort and it always seemed to come so naturally to him. He tried water skiing for the first time at the age of 36 and by the end of the week could ski on one ski. I was never able to beat him at a game of ping pong, pop-a-shot or corn hole and he definitely didn’t show me any mercy. He was competitive and I loved that about him.
He was fanatical about the Florida Gators, Chicago Cubs, Washington Redskins, and Philadelphia Flyers. He embraced the Atlanta Falcons, Hawks, and Braves when we moved to the Atlanta area too. He even tolerated my allegiance to the Chicago White Sox and spent many Cubs vs Sox games trying to get under my skin, which was another side of him I adored. His sense of humor.
Garrick would want to be remembered as a great dad, coach, and husband. He would want people to remember his dry sense of humor and that if he was poking fun at you, it meant that he liked you. I want people to remember how good it felt to be part of his circle of friends. He always told me, you don't need a lot of friends, just one good one.
MEMORIAL INFORMATION:
More information to follow.
For those that cannot attend and even for those that can, at the opening of college football season, he would want you to make a toast to the Florida Gators in his memory, even if you are an Ohio State fan.
Garrick is survived and loved by his close family: his wife, Ann; 2 sons, Joey (10) and Nathan (7); parents, Reed and Janice Layman; sister, Leigh Ann; mother and father- in-law, Mike and Mary Kay Saracini; brothers-in-law, Michael, Jim, Joe, Bill, Jeff and
Kevin; sisters-in-law, Kathy, Kris, Jenny, Jane, Pauline; nephews and nieces, Andy, Matt, Jeffery, Michael, Mary Clare, Jimmy, Danny, Ellen, Connor, Jack, and Julie.
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Tributes
Leave a tributeI’m so saddened to hear about Garrick. Although we lost touch, I remember when we were matched up as roommates freshman year in Optometry school back in ‘97, his encouraging pats on the back, his smooth skills on the basketball court, his love of sports, and his genuine kindness. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your boys.
We are heartbroken for you. Garrick was such a genuinely kind person. He had such a big smile & bigger heart. Some of my favorite ICO memories were with him-from Cub games to concerts, trips to Vegas & Panama City...he will certainly be missed but not forgotten! Love and prayers to you and your boys❤️
Garrick was a coworker and friend. Ann Saracini Layman says it all; he was a fellow Gator fanatic and we quickly grew fond of each other via his dry sense of humor. I’ll remember his long strides back and forth into the offices at north Fort Myers (because I was jealous of his long legs). I always envied his calm and collected demeanor, which was actually just his easy going, happy self. His patients loved him and were fiercely loyal to him. Shoot those hoops Garrick. Prayers for Ann and the boys. ❤️
Husband, father, doctor, coach, friend, Gator, and a damn good QB. The pictures will help those left behind to remember, but they can’t do justice to the stories and adventures we all shared with you. I’ll miss our texts anytime something insane happens in the sports world. Somewhere you are resting easy now while back here Jay-Z is undoubtably writing your theme song. Peace, love, comfort, and strength to Ann, the boys, and your families. Until next time my friend...
Ann, I believe in a Good and Gentle Saviour, who I know will hold you and the boys so tight through every step of this. Feel free to yell at Him. He can take it, and He still will never leave you. I am so thankful for our friendship. Hugs, love, and CONSTANT prayers for you and the boys. Love, Jen
Embrace your new future. I try to understand mine each day. (Ten minutes of consultation / mediation / prayer, keeps me on track). Where I end up .. I do not know but I'm hoping I'll be with Garrick ... talking over what people on earth are doing.
Leave a Tribute
1 year later
Even miles away, in Florida, you are often in my thoughts. Something will happen at a CE dinner, or if I’m circling a parking lot looking for a parking spot, I’ll laugh to myself and think about you teasing me. Miss you, Garrick!
Our Journey through Optometry School (ICO)
Garrick and I met in optometry school in Chicago in the fall
of 1997 and really hit it off from the get go. Little did we know at
the time how good we had it. Life was so simple back then. We
(Garrick, Paul, Dan, Chad, and I) practically ate every meal together in
the dorms our first year at ICO.
We had so many similar interests from sports to Seinfeld.
We
played countless hours of NCAA football on PlayStation in between
studying and clinic. Of course, Garrick always chose
University of Florida for his team. I got scored on so many times that I
memorized the UF fight song. I would whistle the UF fight song and he
got a big kick out of the fact that I learned it by heart.
We (Garrick, Ethan, Todd, Chad, Ben, Chris, Jeff, and I) played on the same basketball team (the big green machine) for 3 years and were intramural champs our 3rd year. We would often shoot around and had 3 point shooting contests.
Garrick and I went to a Bulls game and saw Jordan play. We went to a Cubs game in April but left early because it started to snow. We went to a Blackhawks game with Kenny. When we got back to his car he wouldn't unlock the doors so that we could "experience" what a real winter felt like, and it was freezing.
We (Garrick, Sam, Dan, and I) would go golfing and Garrick always asked to borrow my glove.
We (Garrick, Sam, Leighton, Jason, and I) would play cards (hold 'em) all night long.
We listened to rap music such as Notorious BIG. I specifically remember Garrick would rap “Girls pee pee when they see me, Navajos creep me in they teepee!”
Garrick and I shared so many meals together. I specifically remember going to the Great Wall in Chinatown, O'Malley's, and Scumaci's.
We (Garrick, Paul, Dan, Chad, and I) explored Chicago on foot. We took the bus, taxis, and the “L”. I specifically remember the Hangge Uppe and Banana Joe’s. Garrick would always offer to buy me a beer.
While we were all on externship, Garrick and Ann were in Florida and I was in South Carolina. We met up and I noticed that they were hanging out a lot.
We (Garrick, Ann, Kim, and I) went to a water park and Busch gardens in Tampa, and took boards in Miami.
When we all got back to Chicago for graduation I found out that only Garrick and Ann were taking a trip to Europe. A few years later, I wasn’t surprised when Garrick told me he was going to propose to Ann. I was honored when Garrick asked me to be his best man.
I was looking forward to one day reminiscing with Garrick.
Garrick was one of my best friends at ICO.
I will cherish the great memories.
Rest In Peace.
You will be missed.
My husband, Gary, and I went to ICO with Ann and Garrick. We didn't get a chance to know them as a couple since we lost touch after graduation. But both Gary and I have fun memories of each of them individually and weren't too shocked to hear they had gotten together. Thank goodness for the magic of Facebook to keep us in the loop!
I first met Garrick in the fall of 1997 at the beginning of optometry school. We were standing in line in the gym, maybe to have ID photos taken, and he introduced himself making sure to point out that his name was not Garrett or Derrick but Garrick. I have yet to meet another Garrick! He was one of a kind.
As spring break of our first year rolled around, someone suggested taking a road trip out west to go skiing. I don't remember whose idea it was but reading posts about Garrick and his love of sport and travel, it very well may have been his. I didn't even know how to ski well but it sounded like fun, so five of us crammed into my Subaru Legacy and headed out to Colorado. We stopped to rest a bit in Lincoln, NE, Chad's home town. We couldn't leave the city without checking out the Cornhusker stadium. It was locked up but if I remember correctly, Garrick and Chad figured out a way to make it on to the field.
On our road trip back home to Chicago, we stopped to check out the Badlands and Deadwood, SD. Garrick couldn't pass up the opportunity to do a little gambling in Deadwood and ended up winning enough to pay for the tiny hotel room he, Katrina and I shared for a night.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Garrick's passing. I hope all these stories and photos help keep his spirit alive. And help you to know that he touched the lives of so many and is remembered fondly by all.