Juanita Garrett
Fieldon |
Juanita “Bea” Beatrice Garrett, 89, of DuQuoin, Illinois, passed away on July 17, 2023, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Illinois, after complications from surgery. She was born on April 20, 1934, in Fieldon, Jersey County, Illinois, to Ernest Leslie and Freda (McCoy) Ayres.
Bea graduated from Jerseyville High School on June 4, 1952. Her education had a lot of twists and turns. She attended two different one-room country schools with one teacher for all grades located about a mile from her home (the Buckeye School and Shiloh Country School, both in Grafton). She also attended a few grades in the “city” schools in Otterville and Jerseyville. In the 8th grade, she took final exams in Jerseyville where lots of country schools came together to take finals. She was in the top 10 of all students taking finals. She stayed out of school the next year to work at Yates Apple Orchard, but she started high school the following year and graduated in 3 years. She was on the honor roll her senior year. She remained competitive throughout her life winning a high percentage of every Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Bingo game she played.
She met her husband, Edwin Garrett, through her brother, Vernon Ayres, who played in a band together. They met at band practice at Vernon’s house on April 29, 1951, and dated her senior year. They were married June 17, 1952, about two weeks after she graduated. Bea was also musical. She was known to yodel at times for the band where Ed played accordion. She could play the piano and had a beautiful soprano voice. Bea was influential with the music program of the Virden School District serving as President of the Music Boosters. She accompanied the marching band to various events throughout the high school careers of her children and never missed a choir or band performance.
Bea dedicated her life to God and her family. She attended the Nazarene Church in Virden, Illinois, for much of her adult life. She was a song leader on Sunday mornings and led the youth group for many years. She always had a heart for young people. Besides an abundance of love for her own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, she helped shape the lives of many children through school events, church, and her role as a 4-H leader. She was a second mom to the friends of her children as well.
She is survived by her 4 children: Randy (Sonya) Garrett of Redmond, WA; Steve Garrett of Bothell, WA; Debbie (Gary) Simonson of Fort Worth, TX; and Judy (Mike) Norbut of Dowell, IL. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren include Justin (Julia) Garrett, Ellie & Austin; Carrie (Stephen) Huseman, Crew, Sawyer & Avery; Audrey (Bill) Lanzer, Brinn & Cora; Lesley Wachsmann (Adam Hartmann) & Isaac Storm; Paige (Matt) Bell, Ezra & Zoe Beatrice; Bryan (Angela) Norbut, Liam, Abraham, Shiloh, Salem, Sophia & Sloane; and Nick (Julianna) Norbut, Malik, Asher, Tharyn & Gwendolyn. Bea’s step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Lauren (Zac) House, Henry, Stella, Ruby & Alice; and Mike (Kimberly) Simonson, Kinley & Keaton.
Bea is preceded in death by her husband, Edwin Storm Garrett, who passed away in November 2006; and a daughter, Elaine, who passed away at birth in 1953.
Bea is also survived by her siblings: Ernie (Barb) Ayres, Grace Oliver, Phyllis (Gary) Haynes, all of Jerseyville and Mary (Ron) Cresswell of Elsah. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews whom she dearly loved. She was also preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Hazel (Bud) Wallace, Vernon (Babe) Ayres, Raymond (Connie) Ayres, Emma Ayres, Everett (Levetta) Ayres, Marietta Ayres, Harold (Emilie) Ayres, and brother-in-law, Hap Oliver.
Visitation will be held from 4 – 7 p.m., Monday, July 24, 2023 at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, where funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. with Rev. Bill Smith officiating.
Burial will follow at Noble Cemetery in Otterville.
In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials may be given to Samaritan’s Purse – Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.crawfordfunerals.com.
Crawford Funeral Home
