Mr Douglas Garrett

Douglas “Scottie� Garrett Douglas “Scottie� Garrett, 87, formerly of Columbia, died December 22 at his home in Hannibal. He will be remembered by Columbians as the person responsible for the beauty surrounding the Shelter Insurance Home Office, including Shelter Gardens. A memorial visitation will be held Sunday, December 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia. In keeping with a long-standing custom in the Garrett household, a Scottish New Year Eve’s Hogmanay will be held at the home in Hannibal, this time to celebrate the life and wonderful times of Scottie Garrett. Scottie was born August 11, 1921, in the small village of Minnigaff, Kirkcudbrightshire, on the southern tip of Scotland. At the age of 15 he joined the British Merchant Marines. When he was not at sea, he worked in the hotels, Trossachs Hotel and the Hydro in Peebles training as a chef. On December 6, 1941, his merchant ship was torpedoed and sunk. He was one of 13 survivors. He was on the north Atlantic for six days, and suffered nerve damage to his eyes from the cold and glare off water. After his hospitalization he was designated as a distressed British seaman waiting for a British merchant ship to get back to Scotland. During one of the convoys during WW II to Murmansk Russia, 26 of 38 ships were sunk. After that trip, Scottie decided he wanted fast ships and guns. He joined the American Navy and was in charge of the Chiefs' Mess on board the USS Cabot. While on leave in Philadelphia one of his shipmates invited him to join him in Flint, Michigan to visit friends. Scottie had read about a ship called the City of Flint, a rescue ship. Although the ship was not named after the city, it intrigued him, so he went. One of the friends his shipmate was visiting just happened to be a Malden, Missouri girl, Miriam Olivia Insco, also visiting relatives in Flint. Reluctantly Miriam agreed to go out with the "sailor," even though he was a foreigner. Conversation was sparse, but somehow there was a second and third date. Every time Scottie asked her anything she would answer “No� -- later saying she couldn't understand him so decided “No� was the best answer. He went back to sea and a second leave and lots of letters followed; but most of their courtship was through letters. They were married March 22, 1946 in Flint, and came to Missouri on their honeymoon and never left. They opened the Good Morning Cafe in Neosho Missouri, then moved to Columbia in September 1947. Scottie became chef at Breisch's Restaurant and later at Howard Johnson's. When MFA Insurance, now Shelter, built its home office in 1957, he became cafeteria manager through Crotty Brothers, the management company operating the cafeteria. When the insurance company assumed management of the cafeteria, Scottie continued as manager. In 1966 he also assumed responsibility for the building and grounds and began a program of beautification which has earned local and national honors for the corporate headquarters. Scottie retired from Shelter in September 1986 as Home Office Superintendent of Building and Grounds. During his years with Shelter, his inspiration and expertise transformed an old farm, 56 acres of grass and only seven trees, into the present Home Office grounds, one of the most beautiful garden landscapes in the United States. He also was in charge of the planning and building of the Home Office Fountain, dedicated on September 16, 1966. Shelter Gardens has received numerous landscaping awards for Scottie’s expert work. Working with landscape designer, former Missouri Tiger football player Roger Yanko, Scottie supervised the construction of the Gardens, which were dedicated August 4, 1975. In 1980, Scottie accepted the Grand Award for office parks maintained by an in-house staff. The award is the highest honor presented by the Professional Grounds Management Society, a national organization with 100,000 members. For his dedicated service, Scottie received the first Gustav J. Lehr Award for Personal Service in 1985. The Lehr Award medal recognized the Companies’ highest honor for service to others. Scottie’s service was to the people of MFA and Shelter Insurance, the entire community of Columbia, and to the tens of thousands of visitors who have walked through Shelter Gardens or sat by the fountain. While in charge of Home Office Cafeteria Operations, Scottie was noted for the “fancy foods� he would prepare for company events. His creative centerpieces for company banquets ranged from ice sculptures to butter sculptures of Missouri football mascots and bowling figures. He bowled regularly in the company league, and was a member of a company tourney championship team. His other sports passion was soccer, long before it became popular in the area, helping coach informal soccer practices. After retirement Scottie and Miriam lived in Columbia, and he continued to pursue professional landscaping as a consultant, including the gardens in front of Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. They moved to Hannibal in September 2003 to be near their daughter, Gayla. Miriam died shortly thereafter, following a lengthy illness on Sept. 22, 2003. Survivors include daughter, Gayla Norell Garrett, grandsons Douglas Clayton Henson and his wife, Megan; R. Garrett Henson and his wife, Kim; great grandchildren Andrew Sullivan Henson, Alexis Lynn Henson, and Maxene Elizabeth Henson. Also surviving are a sister, Fay Hollands, Peebles, Scotland; a brother Moir Garrett, Milngavie, Scotland; and several nieces and nephews in Texas, Wyoming and Scotland, as well as many close friends who were his extended family. Scottie was a member of Acacia Lodge. He also was a devoted fan of the Scottish Poet Robert Burns, and enjoyed reciting his works to friends in his strong Scottish accent. One he quoted frequently was “To A Mouse,� which includes the famous lines, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley, an’ lea’e us naught but grief an’ pain for promis’d joy.� It is safe to say that few, if any, of Scotties’ plans went awry, and the joy his schemes brought to us helps us now in our grief and pain at his passing. The family suggests memorials to Shriner's Hospital, 2001 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131-3597; Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation, 404 Portland St., Columbia, MO 65201; Boone County Fire Protection District Pipe and Drums, 2202 I-70 Drive NW, Columbia, MO 65201; Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary, 5900 South Rangeline Road, Columbia, Missouri 65201.