Aaron McGarity

Aaron Ligon McGarity, 36, passed away on March 31, 2026. A Georgia native and an Alabama resident, he was a joyful explorer who lived life without boundaries. He will be forever remembered for the way he brightened the lives of those who knew and loved him.

Aaron is survived by his wife, Sarah Clark; his parents, Bill and Peggy McGarity; his brother and sister-in-law, Will and Mary McGarity; his mother-in-law, Pam Clark; his father-in-law, Bob Clark; his brother-in-law Sam Clark and Sam’s wife, Shelby Clark; his great-aunt Joann Mertz; his nieces, Wendy and Cecily McGarity; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins; and his "son," Naboo the Dog.

Born February 1, 1990, Aaron was a precious son and brother. He grew up in Georgia – in Stone Mountain and on the family farm in Social Circle – and attended high school at Providence Christian Academy. He went on to graduate from Belmont University in Nashville with a major in Religion & The Arts with a Photography focus and a minor in Spanish. From the beginning, Aaron embraced life with an adventurous spirit and a deep love for the outdoors – swimming, traveling the world and collecting rocks along the way, and always racing his brother to snatch the first piece of fried okra from a hot frying pan. He had a special place in his heart for the beach: reading, skim boarding, snorkeling for sand dollars, and riding the waves. Quietly beneath his adventurous spirit lived a tender faith, rooted in a love for God that was woven into his upbringing. That faith was a blessing to his family and showed itself in his genuine desire to love and serve others.

Among the greatest gifts of Aaron's life was his wife Sarah, who became his partner in adventure and his closest friend. They matched on Tinder, fittingly, on Earth Day in 2018 – bonding over spaghetti squash, handstands, and vegan popsicles. (Fun fact: they both went vegan over Labor Day weekend 2015, three years before they met.) Just a week after their first date, Aaron finished building out his Sprinter camper van and met Sarah and her friend Abbie for a week-long climbing adventure at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. The two discovered they were due to be in the same area of Colorado at the exact same time just two months later – Aaron for a writing workshop, and Sarah for an acro training. They chose to meet up after their separate events and go on a small trip in the van together. They would always joke, even almost eight years later, that they were still on that trip.

In the ensuing years they collected so many amazing friends and memories as they traveled the country and the globe. They went everywhere together – the Redwoods, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, the Chihuahuan Desert, Jasper National

Park, the Kancamagus Highway, the Everglades. They spent a couple of months in Thailand in 2019. In the past year alone they traveled to Chile, Alaska, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia, and bike-packed across the state of Florida.

Aaron loved Sarah in a way that was steady and true, just like his authentic self. Together, they enjoyed traveling, teaching, doing acro, slacklining, climbing, roller-skating, back- and bike-packing, running, outfitting their new Transit camper van, eating fancy vegan food, and just lounging. If they were not physically together, they were talking on the phone or texting each other silly selfies. They had an incredibly unique and strong partnership. They were one another’s safe place. Every day they chose love. They helped each other grow. They ran off to the courthouse and got married on their seventh "matchiversary," April 22nd, 2025 – because why not? They had known for a long time that they were in it together forever. Unfortunately, forever was taken away much too soon.

Aaron was a skilled and respected arborist, a career that was a direct expression of his lifelong love of climbing trees. Even as a child, Aaron and Will rigged zip lines fifty feet up in the trees at the family farm. His passion for tree climbing grew through Tree Climbers International in Atlanta (a training he did with his mother), and his first arborist job came when a tree crew spotted his hammock at the top of a tree in his college neighborhood and dropped off a business card, wanting to hire him on the spot. He obtained his International Society of Arboriculture certification in 2014 and his crane operator's certification in 2024. He was loved and admired by the members of his crews and fellow arborists across the country.

Aaron was a man of remarkable and wide-ranging talents. From an early age, he threw himself into baseball, reading, and writing, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning and craft. He taught himself to play piano by ear, with a natural jazzy touch, and went on to pick up the guitar and other stringed instruments. He spoke fluent Spanish, juggled with ease, and became an avid Kendama enthusiast. With his hands, he turned beautiful wooden bowls and carved elegant spoons. With his body, he pushed every limit — from a 3,000-mile bikepacking trip along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, to running ultramarathons, swimming in frigid water, and walking slacklines and highlines.

The sport of slacklining grew to become a major part of Aaron’s life when he and Sarah trained to become certified YogaSlackers Instructors in 2019. They taught slackline workshops in Birmingham and at festivals across the country. While the two were living in Salt Lake City in 2021, Aaron heavily pursued learning the art of highlining. When

they moved back to Nashville in 2022, Aaron hosted a weekly slackline “jam” in the park; over two years, the informal meetup grew from just him and a couple of friends to a regular crowd of around 20. Through the sport, Aaron found a kindred community. With slacklining – as with so many of his other passions and skills that he shared with others – he made people feel safe and empowered. He had all the qualities of a great teacher. He was strong and kind – a person who left an impression without ever trying. His smile was genuine, his way was gentle, and his steadiness made others immediately at ease. In 2024, when he earned his rigging certification from the International Slackline Association, his proctor noted that he was quick to help others, had a good head on his shoulders for safety, and always prioritized care.

Aaron’s soul was the softest, and he carried a rare light. He had a way, without even knowing it, of turning an ordinary day into something magical. His humility will remain a model for how we are meant to be. His life was a reminder to all who knew him to live fully. He is seen daily in the trees he cared for, in the people he left a lifelong impression on, and in the brightness that does not leave with him. It stays forever in the love he shared with everyone he came in contact with and in the memories and moments that live on in all who had the blessing of his presence. He made us better. He made us brighter.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Jones Valley Teaching Farm, 701 25th Street North, Birmingham, AL. The evening will begin with a Gathering at 3:30, followed by a Program and Remembrance at 4:30, and Dinner at 5:30. The event will be primarily outdoors – dress however you feel most comfortable.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to Trips for Kids Birmingham (tripsforkidsbirmingham.org/donate) or Jones Valley Teaching Farm (jvtf.org/donate).

Services are under the direction of Ridout's Valley Chapel (205.879.3401) in Homewood.