Wiley Newell Garner

Wiley Newell Garner lived in Englewood for 20 years and died on April 6, 2019, in Sylvania, Ohio. He was 92 years old. Born in Strasburg, Virginia, on February 2, 1927, Mr. Garner attended schools in Virginia with his younger brother Marshall. His mother, Sarah Gertrude Garner, served as a teacher and his father, George Wiley Garner, served as a high school principal and sports coach.

After graduation, Mr. Garner worked in a shipyard at Newport News, Virginia. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces and became an aerial photographer. He was stationed at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado, for the remainder of World War II. While stationed in Denver, Mr. Garner met Lorraine Juanita May Flanders. They married in 1946 and had three children - David, Judy, and John.

After Mr. Garner was honorably discharged, he became a professional photographer in Washington, D.C., and later worked in sales for Smith Corona. He obtained an associate degree in business administration from the University of Denver. From the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, he held branch manager positions for Smith Corona in Omaha, Nebraska, and Cleveland, Ohio. After leaving Smith Corona, he founded WyGar Associates in Chesterland, Ohio, in 1971. His business served as a manufacturer's representative for product lines of several office equipment companies and covered a five-state area.

After spending several winters in Englewood, he moved there in 1997. While there, he became a member of the local Elks Lodge, became active in local senior groups, was an avid golfer, and competed in local pool tournaments. A long-time Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians fan, he also followed the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Buccaneers while living in Englewood. In 2017, he left Englewood and moved to Sylvania, Ohio, to be near family. In recognition of his artistic skill, an exhibition of his photography was held on May 5, 2018, at a local art gallery. Mr. Garner is survived by his brother and his children.