James "Emmett" Garrett

Emmett was born on May 4, 1922 in Foster Township, Illinois to Frank Garrett and Pearle Jones Garrett.

Emmett grew up in Kinmundy and Granite City, Illinois and graduated from Granite City High School in 1940. After high school, he attended Browns Business College in St. Louis. He began work at Saxon Lang accounting firm and soon after at American Steel Foundry defense plant in St. Louis. He was drafted into the Army in 1942 and after basic training at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, Tennessee Maneuvers and Camp Rucker, Alabama, he was shipped to Hawaii where he trained for jungle and amphibious combat. Then President Truman intervened. As Emmett recalled recently ""we had all this amphibious and jungle combat training and in the first week of August 1945, we made a landing on an uninhabited island. Once we hit the island, we waited. Eventually, the Navy came ashore and said for everybody to return to their ship but we didn't know why. It was soon announced to us that the atomic bomb had been dropped on Japan. That was followed by the Armistice on Aug 15. Then we were sent on to Japan as Occupational Forces and I was one of the first soldiers that set foot in Japan. President Truman saved my life that day by dropping the bomb."" Emmett was discharged from the Army in 1946 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri but remained a dedicated American patriot who felt strongly about our country and defending the principles our great nation was founded on.

After his military service, Emmett returned to American Steel Foundry for a year before going to work with the C&EI Railroad. His good friend Carl Doolen encouraged him to come work with him at Standard Oil Company (also referred to as ""Sohio""), where he would work for the next 12 years, moving from Kansas to Midland, Texas and Oklahoma before being asked to come work for a former boss in Odessa, Texas at Chuck Phillips Well Service in 1959. The family put down roots in Odessa and never moved again. Emmett eventually became a co-owner of the well servicing company until his retirement in 1985. During his career, Emmett was an officer of AOSC (Assn. of Oilwell Servicing Contractors) currently known as The Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC). After retiring, Emmett and Laura loved to travel and frequently went with various friends and groups on many fun and memorable trips. Just when the kids thought their parents might slow down, Emmett bought an Airstream Trailer and they enjoyed many travels over 15 years with the West Texas Airstream unit and other friends. They especially loved traveling with Laura's brother and sister-in-law Lyle and Fran Green from Washington State.

Emmett's first love was his family. He has said that he made the best decision of his life when he married Laura Jean Green on New Year's Eve, 1949 at the Christian Church in Kinmundy, Illinois. They began their family with daughter Carla a year later and Denise a few years after that. Emmett and Laura were happily married for 63 years and raised their family in Odessa, Texas in a stable, loving home that encouraged personal growth and applauded accomplishment. Emmett set a standard in the home for his daughters of always doing your personal best, both at school and at a job. He taught them that in a workplace, you don't sit and wait to be told what to do; you look for work that needs to be done. Having been a child of the depression, Emmett would not waste a thing and made sure that his family used every dollar efficiently. Values of ethical behavior, integrity and honesty were held as the standard in their home. As grandchildren arrived, Emmett and Laura enjoyed watching them all thrive on fun times shared during family reunions and trips to the Arkansas vacation home and Illinois where he loved to return to the family's farm country and visit relatives. His family rejoiced in gathering in Odessa on May 4, 2012 to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Emmett has been described by friends as uncomplicated, solid, grounded, humble, a man-with-no-pretense . . . essentially a salt-of-the-earth individual who never sought personal acclaim. Emmett always displayed a youthful joy for life and had a keen jocularity and sense of humor. He was notorious for making a side-splitting comedic point with his timing and dry wit. His mental acuity was astounding to the very end. If he remembered a detail differently than someone else, you could bet he was right. Above all, he wanted to remain independent and not be a burden to anyone.

Emmett was a member of Bethany Christian Church in Odessa, the Odessa Country Club and the American Legion post #519 in Illinois. He was an active parental booster in any endeavor or organization his daughters were involved with. If there were parent sponsors needed for school trips or fund-raising drives, Emmett and Laura were at the forefront. Emmett had a gift for growing roses of numerous beautiful varieties. The tables of his home and his daughter's home would be adorned with several aromatic bouquets throughout the spring, summer and fall. In addition to gardening, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and making lifelong friends but had a passion for golf. He played his last round of 18-holes at the age of 89 and continued to take his twin grandsons to the driving range routinely after he no longer played the course.

Emmett was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Gladys Chandler of Pontiac, Illinois.

Emmett is survived by his wife, Laura of Odessa; his daughters Carla and son-in-law Dan Pack of Southlake, Texas, Denise and son-in-law Richard Kelly of Odessa; his sister and brother-in-law Donna and Bill Beard of Alma, Illinois; his granddaughters Angela Pack Ortiz and husband Noel of Springdale, Arkansas, Kristie Pack Graham and husband Jason of Mt Pleasant, Texas, Michelle Pack Brower and husband Tim of Denver, Colorado; grandsons Garrett and Clayton Kelly of Odessa; great-grandchildren Nathan, Daniel, Luke, Julia and Emma Ortiz; Jordan, Konner and Victoria Graham and his ""BFF"" Gabriella Brower. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews, special neighbors and dear friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at First Baptist Church-Odessa at 2 pm on Monday, January 21. The family will be greeting friends and relatives at a visitation to be held at Hubbard Kelly Funeral Home on Sunday, January 20 from 4-6 pm. After traveling back to the farmland he so loved in Illinois, a funeral will follow on January 26 at 11 am at Neal Funeral Home, Kinmundy, Illinois with burial at Sandy Branch Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Sandy Branch Cemetery, 4586 Kinoka Rd, Alma, IL 62807 or to the charity of your choice .

The family wishes to thank the many medical professionals of Odessa and specifically Medical Center Hospital's 4 Central staff, 8 Central staff and CCU staff who treated our husband, father and "Grandpa."

Specific thanks and heartfelt appreciation go to Dr. Herrera, Dr. Cheebo and Dr. Benavides of Medical Center Hospital as well as the nurses who were so kind and attentive. Thank you all for being not only knowledgeable and proficient but also compassionate and considerate with your treatment of our beloved husband and dad.