John Joseph Garrett

John Joseph Garrett, age 95, passed away on January 1, 2024, in Waynesville, NC.  He was born on January 17, 1928, in Springfield, Ohio.  John was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Wesley Garrett, mother, Della Strasser Garrett, and sister, Sharon Garrett Gardell.  He was married to his wife of 71 years, the late Mildred Garrison Garrett, whom he met in high school in Sidney, Ohio.

After serving in the US Navy for four years, including duty inside the Artic Circle, John began his family with Mildred in 1950.  He graduated from Ohio State University with an Ag. Engineering Degree on the GI Bill.  John went to work for the USDA, Soil Conservation Service (SCS) in Ohio, working as local project engineer, area engineer, and statewide watershed programs staffer.  He transferred to the Raleigh, NC SCS State Office as the River Basin and Watershed Coordinator in 1971.  He retired from federal service after 38 years; reaching the position of Assistant State Conservationist for Water Resources.  After retirement, John consistently volunteered for many years with the NC Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation.  He reached the status of "Senior Conservationist" as a member of the Association of Retired Conservation Service Employees and was a member of the international Soil and Water Conservation Society.

John, and Mildred, were longtime members and volunteers at Capital City Church of Christ, which has become part of Lifepointe Church of Cary.  He had a lifelong passion for fishing, and fishing rod building and repair.  Other hobbies included landscape plant and flower propagation.

John is survived by three sons: J. Keenan Garrett of Athens, OH; Timothy E. Garrett (Lynne) of Waynesville, NC; and Randall S. Garrett (Ami) of Southport, NC; four grandchildren: Amanda L. Nowell, Timothy M. Garrett, A. Tyler Garrett, and Jessica E. Morris; and eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at Devoted City Church (formally Lifepointe) in Cary, NC.  Visitation with the family will follow at the church.  Burial service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lifepointe Church, 590 Westhigh Street, Cary, North Carolina 27513. https://www.lifepointechurch.com/locations/cary/

The care of Mr. Garrett has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.