Yvonne (French) Garrett

Yvonne was born in Dallas, Texas to Blake and Virginia French. She was the first child and was followed by two sisters, Mary Blake and Shannon. Her family lived in many places during her childhood until they moved to Texas City, Texas, where she met and married the love of her life, Billy Ray Garrett.

Yvonne and Billy were married for over 63 years and raised four children in Texas City. During that time she worked for the school district as an aide and librarian and also for the public library as a librarian. Yvonne was very active in church: singing in the choir, leading children and youth programs and much more. Yvonne was extremely creative and shared her artistic talents through decorating, sewing, drawing, cooking, acting, and writing, etc. She even had a business decorating cakes that were in themselves works of art.

After Billy retired, Yvonne and Billy moved to Jefferson, Texas where they could enjoy being a part of some of the things they both loved: historical places and antiques. There they participated in the historical celebrations, helped run some of the tours of the houses and Yvonne worked in a few of the antique stores. They were very active in their church once again. It was at this time that Yvonne felt a calling to become a local pastor for some of the smaller churches in the area. She enrolled in Lon Morris College and took classes to become a qualified lay minister. Yvonne then spent many years preaching to the smaller churches who had no pastors and Billy went along with her and led the singing. They even continued to do this service after they moved to Nacogdoches, Texas to live with their youngest daughter, Alison and husband Scott Ishmael in 2003. While in Nacogdoches Yvonne became a hospital chaplain and they served in the local hospitals and nursing homes.

In 2016, after a fight with bone cancer, Billy passed away. Yvonne continued to work in the church until Alzheimers confined her mostly to her home. In December Yvonne fell and broke her hip which started a decline that led to her passing away on March 27, 2023.

Yvonne was a vibrant soul who loved her Billy, her family, and her God. She shared that love with all of the talents that God gave her with everyone she could until the very end!

Yvonne was preceded in death by her husband Billy Garrett; her parents, Blake and Virginia French; her oldest son, Steven Garrett, and her son-in-law Leslie Turner.

She is survived by her children: Kathy Turner, Forrest Garrett, Alison Ishmael and her dauther-in-law and son-in-law Eva Garrett and Scott Ishmael. She also was blessed with many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces across the United States and in Sweden.

We all miss her greatly but know we will see her again, and she is now with her sweetheart, Billy, and Jesus.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to a Christian charity of your choice.