August 3, 1928 – September 21, 2024
Robert S. Garrett, 96, a lifelong resident of the Cleveland community in Abingdon, Virginia, died after a brief illness on September 21, 2024.
He was born on August 3, 1928, and was the eldest son of the late Stanley Lee Garrett and Margaret Berry Garrett. He grew up on his family’s farm, and, from a young age, developed a strong attachment and deep love for the land that his father and grandfather had farmed. After graduating from Cleveland High School, Robert attended King College and Virginia Tech, where he was a ROTC cadet. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent nearly two years on active duty in Germany before returning to Abingdon in 1958 to resume his full-time work running the family farm.
Robert met the love of his life, Peggy, in 1961, and would have celebrated 62 years of marriage in October. He was a loving and caring husband to Peggy and a doting father to his daughters Amy and Dawn, whom he called ‘the greatest crop I ever raised.’ He was devoted to his family and the community of Cleveland, where he was widely known as a kind, generous, and loyal gentleman with a quiet, easy-going demeanor and warm smile. He was universally loved and respected by everyone.
Robert was a lifelong, devoted member of Cleveland Presbyterian Church and served as an elder for over 50 years. A passionate and dedicated farmer, Robert served on numerous boards and committees, including the Washington County Farm Bureau, the Feeder Pig Association, the Virginia Cattleman Association, and the Washington County Farmers Cooperative. He loved every aspect of farming and never retired from the only profession he ever knew. Only weeks before his 96th birthday, he could be seen on his tractor, tending
to the beef cattle spread across the rolling hills of his family’s farm.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Lewis B. Garrett, and sister-in-law Jean Marsh Garrett. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Patrick Garrett; his daughters Dr. Amy Ryan (Mark) of Charlotte, North Carolina and Dawn Garrett of Abingdon, Virginia; his brother Frank E. Garrett (Janie) of Orlando, Florida; his sister-in-law Sallie Garrett of Abingdon, Virginia; nieces Pamela Garrett Patterson (Ed) and Susan Garrett Booher (and family Kylie, Hunter, Lyric, and Haven) all of Abingdon, Virginia, as well as other nieces and nephews Don Atwell, Patrick Harmon (Alice), Timothy Harmon (Lisa), Susan Davis (Tom), Beth Schlievert (Brian), and Susan Walsh (John), and many beloved cousins.
Visitation will be Tuesday, September 24,2024 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Frost Funeral Home in Abingdon, Virginia. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m. at Cleveland Presbyterian Church. Committal will follow in the Cleveland Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Cleveland Church Cemetery Fund at Cleveland Presbyterian Church, 18076 Cleveland Church Rd., Abingdon, VA 24211.
Frost Funeral Home and Cremation Services is honored to serve the family of Mr. Garrett.
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