Garrett Herbert Hawthorne

                     OBITUARY

                         GARRETT HERBERT HAWTHORNE

                      06/01/43 – 10/17/16

Garrett Herbert Hawthorne, a resident of Queen Creek, Arizona, passed away on the morning of October 17, 2016. Garrett was born on June 1, 1943 in Shafter, CA. He was the fourth child born to Herbert Theodore Hawthorne and Julia Lysta (Garrett) Hawthorne in a family that first included three daughters (Glenda Marie Tillotson and Geraldine Deckrow – both of whom are deceased – and Verna Lynn Johnson of Ojai, CA) and then three sons (himself, Kent Wayne Hawthorne, and Allen Wesley Hawthorne – all now deceased). His given birth name was “Garet” which he later legally changed to “Garrett“. He attended grade school in Port Hueneme, CA and later, when his family moved to Ojai, CA he attended Nordhoff High School and graduated in 1961.

As a young man, Garrett developed a love for cars – especially the “muscle” cars – and became quite skilled in building them and driving his own creations at drag strips.

On 5/9/66, Garrett enlisted in the US Navy and served two tours of duty aboard the USS Tortuga LSD 26 in Viet Nam, including active service as a small craft crew member in “Brown Water” activities. On 1/2/70 he received an honorable discharge from the US Navy as an E6. In his tours of duty he specialized in refrigeration equipment maintenance. He also served as an MP. He loved water skiing – had his own special ski which he used at every opportunity when he was in Viet Nam.

He learned the carpentry trade and in later years he became a skilled cabinet maker and installer, ultimately putting his creative skills into his own shop that specialized in beautiful complex stair cases, hand rails and cabinetry.

Garrett shared his life in three marriages. The first marriage was in 1964 to Sharon Jean Stone in Simi Valley, CA. They were first blessed with a son, Richard Garet Hawthorne, of Pine, Arizona. They were then blessed with a daughter, Michelle Rae (Hawthorne) Mieure who is of San Antonio, Texas with her husband, Daryn Mieure and their three sons, Robert, Matthew, and Jarrett. The second marriage was in 1973 to Pamela Ann Messersmith in Ventura, CA, with whom a daughter, Jessica Elaine Hawthorne of Oxnard, CA was born. The third marriage was to Susan Jean Trumbo on 11/13/15 in Ojai, CA – she has three sons: Calvin Lee Trumbo of Charlotte, NC, David John Trumbo of Libby, MT and Randy Michael Trumbo of Vancouver, WA. Immediately following their marriage, Garrett and Susan moved into a previously purchased home in Queen Creek, AZ. His time there was filled with his and Susan’s shared companionship and in the delights and challenges of using their combined creative nature and his constructive skills to develop the truly enjoyable interior and exterior surroundings of their new home – and in occasional pleasure trips.

It was also a time which saw the increasing consequence of unremitting pain due to damaged throat nerves as a result of being shot through the throat as a teenager. The physical and emotional toll it had taken reached its peak after more than 15 years of a 24/7 struggle with the continually repeated failed promises of medical corrections through the VA and private doctors. When a recent VA examination brought the conclusion that nothing more could be done, Garrett chose the only course he could see.

Garrett Herbert Hawthorne thus leaves behind the three women, with each of whom he shared some of the 73 years of his life, along with their families; his 3 children and their families; a sister; the families of the 2 sisters and 2 brothers who preceded him; and a host of friends.

With appropriate honors, Garrett’s ashes will be cast away at sea as he wished. Inasmuch as most of the family lives at distant places, a delayed memorial service will be held in in January of 2017 at The Ojai Church of Christ (411 N. Montgomery St., Ojai, CA 93023) to allow the family to observe the upcoming holidays without undue distress. Notification of the date will be given sufficiently in advance for family planning.