Richard "Dick" Garvin

Richard "Dick" Garvin

Richard "Dick" Garvin passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at Bethesda Care Center in Fremont, Ohio, on October 12, 2025, four days short of his 97th birthday. Dick was born October 16, 1928, to Albert and Edna (Adelman) Garvin.

On October 23, 1948, Dick married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy "Dottie" Smith, at his lifelong parish, St. Ann Catholic Church. She preceded him in death in 2003. They had a son, Tom, who passed away in 2021.

Dick began working with his father at Garvin Automotive Service when he was 12 on evenings and weekends, went to the standard six days a week when he graduated from Fremont Ross High School, and took over the business when his father passed away in 1995.

Garvin Automotive Service specialized in sales and service of GM light and medium duty trucks. Dick was an outstanding mechanic and dedicated to his work. Long before computers he could diagnosis a truck by listening to it in the shop or driving it for a short distance. He could then tell you not only the part needed, but the part number. His memory for parts numbers was legendary and did not wane in his elder years. The shop never closed during harvest season until all the trucks were ready for the next day's work. For his commitment to local farmers, he was awarded the 1994 Sandusky County Outstanding Ag Service Award. True to his shy nature, he allowed Dottie to accept the award on his behalf while he worked into the evening. Following retirement from the shop, he continued picking up parts and selling parts from his living room and made farm-house calls to fix trucks.

Each fall he enjoyed handing out antique truck calendars that he purchased from the American Truck Historical Society, Beer City Chapter. The funds went to a scholarship program for students studying truck and automotive repair and maintenance. Jerry, who leads the chapter, came from Wisconsin to visit. In 2023 they sent an appreciation plaque to recognize him as their lead contributor.

In addition to his wife and son, Dick was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Carl Falquette. He is survived by his grandson, Jeremy Garvin, Sullivan, Missouri; nephew, David (Rita) Falquette, Mansfield; nieces, Sr. Linda Falquette, RSM, and Carol Falquette, both of Toledo.

For a quiet man he had many friends and we appreciate their visits and care for Dick. Thank you to his caregivers at Bethesda and from Heartland Hospice.

Contributions may be made in Dick's honor to St. Ann Catholic Church or The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums.

A Public Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., at St. Ann Catholic Church, 1021 W. State St., Fremont. Funeral Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. Following Mass, burial will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery, Fremont.

Hanneman Funeral Homes is honored to serve Dick's family and encourage those to share a fond memory or condolence by visiting www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com.

www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com