Remembering Actor Garry Nation

On Sunday, July 12, 2026, beloved and talented actor Garry Nation passed away at the age of 72. According to a statement from his children, "after a long and courageous fight with cancer, he was moved to hospice care" at his home in Rockwall, Texas, where he passed, surrounded by his family. Audio drama fans are likely familiar with Garry through his work on The Adventum, Lamplighter Theatre, and Jonathan Park.

As we honor the legacy of this talented actor, who contributed some fantastic performances to the world of family-friendly audio drama, the following is a guest post by writer Darby Kern that shares some reflections on Garry and his impact in this space.

Garry Nation
Photo Source: https://www.garrynation.com/

It was Micah Touchet, my production partner on The Jake Muller Adventures, who suggested I call Garry Nation and see if he was willing and able to play a character in our next two shows. I’d heard the name, but I only knew his voice from a show I had written that Micah had just produced, A Reckoning of Cowards. He played the slimy Mayor of Pointe Coupée Parish, deep in the bayou country of Louisiana. The character I had him in mind for was a smooth man-of-the-world who just might be involved with a social (and possibly genetic) engineering plot with a nefarious purpose.

Of course, Garry was outstanding in both, which, to anyone who knows him, is no surprise. That such a true gentleman, in every sense of the word, could play these suss characters seems completely incongruous, until you spend a few minutes with him and realize his skills as an actor were profound.

When Micah contacted me on Sunday evening and told me that Garry had been promoted to Glory, I was editing a scene from the upcoming JMA: Shroud, one Garry recorded with us last March. As my eyes filled with tears, I was aware that I was not weeping for Garry—he was complete as he had never been, free from the pain he told me about the first time I spoke with him, and he was reunited with his beloved Linda, who had received her promotion not so long ago. And he was with Jesus. There was not a moment of doubt about that. Happy for him, sad for myself—and the people who knew him.

Garry Nation and Nato Jacobson on a film set
Photo courtesy of Nato Jacobson

Garry was born in October 1953, in Seminole, Oklahoma, but moved to Texas when he met Linda—and never looked back. He studied the Word non-stop, eventually attaining his PhD in Theology.

He used his creativity for Kingdom work, as an actor, singer, writer, and director—probably several other ways as well. Anyone who met him knew very quickly that he loved the Lord Jesus, and wanted you to love Him as well.

Sunday night, as word of his passing was spreading, I was sent a YouTube link by Jake Phillips, an actor who knew Garry much better than I did. The note he added was, “If you can watch this without crying like a baby, you’re a better man than me.” It is Garry singing, “There Is A Fountain.”

I’m not a better man than Jake. And I hope to be half the man that Garry Nation was.

Here are  a few other remembrances from other creatives in our industry who worked with Garry:

"Garry became a father figure to me after my own Dad passed away (although I’m not even sure he realized it), and I always loved spending time with him whenever I had a chance to be cast in something he was in. He was the epitome of a Christian gentleman who was always 'steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,' and I look forward to seeing him again."

 - Jake Phillips 

"I have so many sweet memories with Garry, including the privilege of acting with him in the audio drama Quicksand at Lamplighter Theatre, wherein he played the role of my father. We had a big adventure just getting to Lamplighter for the recording when we both got stuck at LaGuardia, and Garry drove us several hours north, into the darkness of night and the wind-blown snowstorm, until we finally arrived at our destination safe and sound!"

 - Stacey Bradshaw

"Garry was the lead on my very first film set. Little did I know he would become one of my favorite collaborators, through multiple films and more audio dramas than I can recount, spanning beyond a decade. What a unique combination of gravitas and hospitality in this man who I was privileged to call a friend."

 - Nato Jacobson

"Garry was solid in his acting and solid in his walk with God. I first saw Garry's work when he played the lead in Polycarp (he was captivating) and I cast him as Abraham in The Adventum. He embodied and became Abraham. And when he wept for Sarah at her death, we could all feel it. Little did we know he would be mourning his own beloved wife Linda years later. We are missing Garry here, but there's a beautiful reunion happening beyond our world."

 - John Fornof

Learn more about Garry on his website

Garry's online obituary

Darby Kern is an award-winning freelance writer, director, and producer known for his extensive work in faith-based audio dramas, with over 200 produced scripts to his credit. He has written for Left Behind, Kids Corner, and Lamplighter Theatre, and is the creator of The Jake Muller Adventures.