Gary Gordon Schwarz

Born Nov 23rd, 1954 in Nyack, New York. He was raised in Grandview, NY on the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was a 1.5-mile-wide village, the smallest in NY state and home to an incredibly diverse group of people. It was an idyllic childhood centered on the Hudson River, the area is known for its history from early colony, through the revolutionary war end, to present day. 

Gary graduated Tappan Zee High School in 1972. He graduated SUNY Alfred State College in 1974 with an Associate Degree in Floriculture Production. He joined Cropsey Farm in New City, NY from 1974-1996. He managed the garden center and oversaw its expansion from a home-made greenhouse to a full-service garden center with a florist and full landscape division. 

He married the love of his life, Sharon Arline Aulepp July 9, 1977. They moved to Congers, NY where they raised three children: Jonathan, Jessica, and Jason. In New York, Gary and Sharon were long time members of the Piermont Reformed Church where Gary served on the consistory as both a Deacon and Elder. 

Gary and Sharon relocated to Hampstead, NC in 1996 where they founded Pender Pines Garden Center. With the help of their children, parents, aunts and uncles, Pender Pines has grown into a major garden center in Southeast NC. Gary served on the church council of the Hampstead United Methodist Church and the church session of Topsail Presbyterian Church. Gary served as President of the Cape Fear Plant Professionals. He was also President of the North Carolina Flower Growers Association and served as a member of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Horticultural Advisory Board. 

Gary and Sharon sold Pender Pines to their son Jonathan and his wife Jennifer in January 2018. Gary continued working part-time, advising and sharing his love of gardening with all who met him. He also spent a lot of time working on his yard on Sloop Point Loop Road. His children and grandchildren are his proudest accomplishments. 

Gary is survived by his wife Sharon, his sister Linda and her husband Bernie, his son Jonathan and wife Jennifer and their three children Lily, Cydney and Levi, his Daughter Jessica and husband Mark and their sons Dawson and Liam, and his son Jason and wife Ashley. 

Services will be held at 3pm on Saturday, May 18th at Topsail Presbyterian Church, 16249 US Hwy 17N, Hampstead, NC 28443. Reception information to follow.  

Before he passed, Gary was quoted as saying ““In lieu of flowers” I’ve never heard of anything so silly. Send all the flowers”. Flowers may be sent to Topsail Presbyterian Church, and you are encouraged to bring a flower to the service to remember Gary, his passion for plants, his incredible contributions to the community, and all who knew him.