William A. "Bill" Garrett

William A. "Bill" Garrett
Feb. 4, 1922-Jan. 1, 2009

Bill's journey started in the town of Slater, Missouri. He was the first son of Harvey Garrett and Gertrude Anno. To this family, also, were added brothers, Harvey and Arnold. After Gertrude's "Mammy's" divorce she met and married John Hall, and they had a son, Donald. Schooling took place for Bill in Craig, Missouri, and at an early age he married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Irene Martin. They were blessed with four children, Harvey Wayne, William Daniel, Judith Irene, and Martha Sue. Judy died in infancy from meningitis. This marriage ended in divorce. But later, Bill married Geneva Eskew Garrett on December 4, 1950, in Lawrence, KS. She had a daughter from her first marriage, Lelia Lee Garrett.
In his early years, Bill worked for the railroad in Chicago, IL, and as a manager of a cleaners in Kansas City, MO. When the family moved to the Edmonds, WA, area, he went to work for New Model Laundry as a driver in the Seattle area. Later, they left the Edmonds area purchasing a farm with 10 acres of raspberries in Gold Bar, WA. When the raspberries became more of a liability, Bill took his real-estate test and received his license. He worked for Century 21 North Homes in Everett and El Danco in Monroe, WA. Bill and Geneva built a custom home and developed the Garrett Addition in Gold Bar, WA. During this same period of time, he became the mayor of Gold Bar. All of these occupations were worked in around FISHING -- the true enjoyment of his life. Self taught, he none-the-less was the top "fisher" on the river at Sultan, WA, well, anywhere he went!
When his mother-in-law moved in with them, they purchased a home on Circle Drive in Monroe and lived there until 1990 when they moved to Cowiche, WA. Then, in 1993 they moved to Ellensburg, WA, to a ten-acre farm on Pioneer Road. One more move was in store for the two of them, when they went across town to Mill Pond Mobile Manor. It was while they were there in 2000 that he lost Geneva after 50 years and 18 days of marriage.
A final move brought Bill to Quincy, WA, to live in the addition to Lelia and Rich's home. And, it was in Quincy that he completed his journey on New Year's Day morning in the Quincy Valley Hospital.
Bill was preceded in death by his mother; father; infant daughter; ex-wife; two brothers; and wife of 50 years, Geneva.
He is survived by his two sons, Harvey and Danny; his daughter, Sue, all of Kansas City, MO; his step-daughter, Lelia and her husband, Rev. Rich Coghill, of Quincy, WA; and his half-brother, Donald Hall, of Magnolia, TX. Also surviving are his eight grandchildren, Christina Mustard, Cindy Garrett, Tim Garrett, and their mother, Deloris, Amber Mustard and mother, Lin, Stephen Wayne Garrett and mother, Patti, Lisa Vaughn and mother, Laura, Dean William Garrett and mother Sue, and Angela Bona, of Walla Walla, WA. Bill had 12 great-grandchildren, Jacob, Steven, Stephanie, Travis, Kelsi, Timothy, Sean, Riley, Taylor, Erin Riley in MO, and Luke and Eli Bona, of Walla Walla, WA. Dustin, Kailey, and Abigail, of MO are his three great-great-grandchildren. Bill's half brother, Donald Hall, still lives with his wife, Marilyn and family, in Texas. Both of his brothers' wives, Marie and Catherine, are still living in the Midwest along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m., on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at the Monroe IOOF Cemetery in Monroe, Washington. A memorial service will take place the same day at 11 a.m. in the Sultan United Methodist Church, 3rd and Birch Street, Sultan, WA, with a fellowship meal afterward for all those attending.
In place of flowers, memorials may be given to your local Salvation Army, the Sultan United Methodist Church, or the Quincy Valley Hospital.