Harold Garrett

Harold Elmer Garrett, 93, peacefully passed away December 26, 2018 in his home, in Adel, Iowa. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 31, 2018 at Panther Creek Church of the Brethren near Adel with burial following at Church of the Brethren Cemetery at Panther Creek. A visitation will be held Sunday, December 30 from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home-McCalley Chapel in Adel. Family will greet friends from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 5 p.m. Harold was born November 5, 1925 to Burt and Mary (Ray) Garrett, in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended school in Redfield through 11th grade. On May 2, 1946 Harold married Velma (Wicks) at Panther Creek Church of the Brethren. They lived on the family farm where he farmed all his life. Harold was a man of the land his entire life. On his 17th birthday he picked 125 bushels of corn by hand. He operated horse-drawn equipment. Harold did custom farming, silage chopping, and fed cattle and hogs. Farming had changed so much over Harold’s farming career. This year, from his faithful gator he watched in amazement the harvesting of 50,000 bushels in one day. Losing two toes to a rear tractor weight did not slow him down. On any given day around the farm someone was always banging their knuckles or even worse, but Harold encouraged his family to continue on through their day. In his retirement he used his gator so he could observe the local harvest. He picked mulberries and grew kohlrabi to share with family and friends. His hobbies included woodworking with walnut, collecting and sharing rocks, camping with family and riding the 4-wheeler and his gator. Harold always had a dog on the farm as his faithful companion while he tended to the farm. Harold was known for many of his one-liners including a few of his famous ones “It will feel good when it quits hurting”, “The guy that doesn’t make any mistakes doesn’t do anything” or “It could get worser”. Harold’s legacy will continue on through the lives of his family and friends. The greatest gift that he left his family is “without unconditional love, you have nothing.” He is survived by his children, Peg (Pete) Kelly, Marylin (Randy) Reynolds, Deloris Marshall, Lowell (Stacy) Garrett; 9 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Harold was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Alice (Percy) Jenkins, Ruth (Dale) Wicks, Elsie (Bob) Price; brothers, Ray (Hollace) Garrett, Mark (Elizabeth) Garrett; Harmon (Lucy) Garrett; wife, Velma (Wicks); infant son, Dean Wesley Garrett; son-in-law Kevin (Deloris) Marshall. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family. Online condolences may be left at www.caldwellparrish.com