Elaine Frances Garrett

Elaine Frances Drew was born in Wichita, Kansas to Lawrence, Drew and Eula Mae, Vann, later was raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma by her mother. Growing up, she spent time on her grandparents’ farm and attended the Manuel Training High School. There, she was awarded for high academics, learned cooking, sewing, and played the trombone in the band. She met her first husband, Dallas Harris, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, attended school with him and later moved to San Diego, California in 1961 as a military wife, then later divorced in the late 70’s. They raised four children, three boys and 1 girl in this order: Dallas, Anthony, Robin & Alisha Harris. While raising her children, she worked at Hilton as a maid, made diving suits at Divers Unlimited, became Supervisor Inspector at Naval Air Station, North Island, in San Diego Unified School District as a clerk, and was a Certified Notary. She also had small jobs selling Tupperware and Avon products. On June 3,1972 she was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness and became a part of 3 different congregations. Spring Valley, La Mar, and Chollas. During her time as a Jehovah’s Witness she met a large group of wonderful friends she would later become very close with like family. Her organization meant everything to her, and the relationships she formed with her sisters and brothers was near and dear to her heart. While Witnessing, she would travel out of town and visit various places; some being New York, Atlanta, and Germany. In the late 80’s she married again to the love of her life for over 18 years, Terrance George Washington Garrett, and later widowed in 2005, never married again. During her marriage, Terry gave her more than a last name, he showed her more happiness she ever could imagine. She enjoyed being his wife and enjoyed their time together. He never was forgotten and often she would reminisce about good times they had together. In her past time she loved to travel and could appreciate the beauty of nature while drinking an ice cold glass of lemonade and eating lays potato chips, enjoyed playing cards and board games, sewing clothes and drapes, watching movies (in particular, comedies), listening to music such as Taylor Dane and Charlie Wilson along with a host of jazz and R&B groups that she would dance along too while snapping her fingers. She enjoyed gardening vegetables like greens, plums, lemons and cantaloupe, baking the most delicious peach cobbler and sweet potato you’ve ever had, yummy plum jelly, carmel candy, carmel apples, and popcorn balls. She always loved to be a gracious host when family and friends came over, offering refreshments and opening her home for fun gatherings full of later that filled her heart and theirs with joy. As a mother she was very hard working, loving, and a talented woman who always thought about our needs and sacrificed so much to do all she could with what she had to provide for us. She will always be appreciated for telling us to believe and have Faith in God, to work hard and keep a clean house. She took us to Julian to pick apples, to the park, to the movies, barbequed in the back yard, made homemade ice cream, went fishing with us, participated as a teacher’s-aid in our classes, and gave us things to treasure that money can’t buy. And that’s love. Elaine was a grandmother of seven children and a great grandmother of five. As a grandmother she was there to witness her daughter Alisha, as she gave birth to three children, very proud in knowing her first granddaughter’s middle name became Elaine, after her. As a grandmother she was very happy to teach her grandchildren life lessons and included them in all aspects of her life, and shared many aspects of theirs. With the children in San Diego, she enjoyed taking train rides, going to baseball games, flying in an airplanes, baking deserts and cooking meals, going to the park and going to the symphony. She taught them the importance of fine Arts, always talked to friends and business people about their talents so they might have more opportunities, loved seeing them grow, and always was very happy to get calls and spend time with them. She leaves behind her legacy and footprints to follow. We’ll always remember her compassion, generosity, productivity, creativity, laughter and beauty. Elaine will be missed by many family members, her Congregation at the Kingdom Hall, friends and colleagues. We love you with all our hearts. May you rest in Peace.