Melrose Truett Garrett, Jr., Sc.D., P.E.

Melrose Truett Garrett, Jr., native Houstonian, graduate of Lamar High School, Texas A&M, Massachusetts Institute of Technology doctorate, lifelong engineer, devoted husband and father, died on Friday, the 15th of November 2019, at the age of 94.

While at Texas A&M he was called up into the Army Air Corp where he learned to fly B-21s. All of his service was state side, as the war in the Pacific ended before he was to be deployed overseas. He returned to A&M and completed his Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering in 1948.

In May of 1948 Truett married Jo Ruth Russell, their marriage lasted 55 wonderful years until her death in April 2004. Four years later in 2008 he married Barbara Montalbano.

Survivors include spouse, Barbara Montalbano; son, Charles Garrett and wife Mindy Moshier; stepsons: Tom Montalbano, wife Simona Furini, David Montalbano, and Mark Montalbano, wife Zoe; grandchildren: Max, Oliver, and Francesca.

Dr. Garrett excelled in his career as engineer, working first with his father, followed by forty years of service with the city of Houston. After retirement from the city, he continued as a consulting engineer until his death. He participated in multiple, state, national, and international professional organizations, receiving numerous awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Pillars of the Profession Award from the Water Environment Association of Texas. He served as an Adjunct Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston. He published and presented numerous papers at conferences all over the world. His published his last paper in the summer of 2019.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 21st of November, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive, Houston.

A Mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at two o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 22nd of November 2019, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, where the Rev. Wayne W. Wilkerson, Pastor, will celebrate.

The Right of Committal will follow, via an escorted cortege, at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

For those desiring and in lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Houston Food Bank, 535 Portwall St, Houston, TX 77029 (HoustonFoodBank.org) or the charity of your choice.