07/07/2026 01:10:41 PMObituaryobituaryGarry Lee Landreth, 89, of Denton, Professor Emeritus of counseling, founder of the Center for Play Therapy and world-renowned play therapist, died June 11, 2026. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southeastern State University in Oklahoma, traveling to Idaho in the summers and working as a camp cook for the Forestry Service to help pay for college. He then earned his master’s and doctorate from the University of New Mexico. In 1966, he joined the North Texas education faculty. As a professor of counseling, he was a leading figure in the development of child-centered play therapy. In 1988, he established the Center for Play Therapy at UNT, which became the largest play therapy training program in the world. He served as its director until 2003. He also was director emeritus of the Association for Play Therapy and spoke at conferences around the world. Over his 40-year career, he wrote and published more than 150 articles, professional resources and books, including Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship, which remains one of the foremost texts in the field. His work earned him numerous honors, including the President’s Council University Teaching Award, the Shelton Excellence in Teaching Award, the Toulouse Scholar Award and the President’s Award at UNT. He also was named a Regents Professor. The Garry Landreth Endowed Play Therapy Research Library and the Garry Landreth Center for Play Therapy Scholarship at UNT were both established in his honor, and he and his wife of 64 years, Monica, established the Garry and Monica Landreth Scholarship to help support future generations of counselors. Family and friends say Garry believed in the importance of relationships, support and care, and he integrated those values into every aspect of his life. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, gardening and making breakfast for his family (which came to be known as “Granddady Breakfast”) whenever they came to visit. He also hosted a “Cousins Camp” for his grandchildren. A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. July 11, 2026, at First Baptist Church, 1100 Malone St., Denton.