John E Garnett

He grew up in Draw, Texas, and at 13, his family moved to his home farm near Levelland, Texas where he lived for almost 70 years. He married Gracie Story on December 22, 1964, in Lubbock, Texas.

J.E. was a beloved husband, father, Papaw, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, and farmer. All of his life, he was able to fix anything, and no job was too big or too small for him to tackle. As a teenager, he was building radios and figuring out how to install running water to his parents' home, but serving in the Navy as a SeaBee during World War II increased his construction knowledge and added a few more tools to his toolbox. His battalion's motto was, "the difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer." J.E. was always up for the impossible.

He built his parents' home at the age of 22 with only hand tools, remodeled his own home over the course of 25 years, and constructed two concrete retaining walls on a bluff at Possum Kingdom Lake with only his wife for his construction crew. His home remodel may have taken longer because he was always willing to help others, even if it meant sacrificing his personal "to do" list.

As a cotton farmer, J.E. rose early and worked until dark wearing his standard uniform of a long sleeve navy shirt, jeans, and a cap. He taught his three sons the value of working hard and doing a good job, even if they didn't always want to learn. Each of them can attest to the family joys they shared moving the Tri-Matic, hoeing weeds, and the hours spent sorting nuts, bolts, and all kinds of treasures he bought from farm auctions.

J.E. excelled at building and farming, and this certainly carried over into his daily life. He built great relationships with those he met, and he planted seeds of friendship that grew into bountiful harvests of lifetime love. His family has been encouraged and strengthened by the many phone calls, texts, social media posts, and visits that have occurred over the length of his illness, and it demonstrates the impact he had on so many lives.

His family loved going to Papaw's lake, aka Possum Kingdom, and staying in the "Palace" at the Garnett's Last Resort. His family enjoyed many wonderful times together fishing, swimming, tubing, waterskiing, and eating freshly caught catfish. And, of course, this lake place provided plenty of opportunities for J.E. to build, remodel or repair something.

J.E. is survived by his wife of 55 years, Gracie, three sons, and (their wives), Carlos and Chita Adkins of (Lubbock), Doug and Jana Garnett of (La Vernia), and Dwayne and Kristie Garnett of (Midland), three grandsons, Caylon of (La Vernia) and (his wife), Brittany, Logan of (Rowlett), and Landon of (Austin), two great-grandchildren, Karsyn and Hayes of (La Vernia), and his sister, Annie Belle Tucker, of (Denver City).

Honorary Pallbearers are Ted Jackson,Tony Streety, Howard David Isaacks, Paul Isaacks,

Jerl Jenkins, Kirk Brock, Mike Stinson, Billy Suggs, Jere Mimms, Jimmy Woodward,

Kellen Ketchersid, and Waymon Jackson.

Visitation will be held on August 11, 2020, on Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m., at Resthaven Abbey Chapel, 5740 19th St. Lubbock, Tx. Celebration of Life will be held at Kings Ridge Church of Christ, 4201 98th St., Lubbock, Tx. on Wednesday August 12, 2020, at 11:00 a.m.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the New Mexico Christian Children's Home, 1356 NM 236 Portales, NM 88130.