James “Jim” Lamar Garnett Jr. was born Oct. 4, 1946, and passed suddenly Dec. 20, 2021.
Jim, or “Junior,” was born and raised in Perry, Iowa, attended Perry High School and graduated in the Class of 1964.
He later attended Boone Community College and was also a brakeman and conductor for the Milwaukee Railroad.
He met the great love of his life, also from Perry, and married Liz (née Wilson) a few months later on Moon Landing Day, July 21, 1969. It was a match made in heaven and, as Liz would say, “They raised each other,” and were bonded at the hip for the next 38 years, until Liz’s untimely passing.
They welcomed their only child, a baby girl they named Abigail Susan, on Dec. 24, 1972.
When the railroad left Perry, Jim and Liz began selling insurance together, which over many years became a very successful independent venture they called Interstate Insurance Services. At this time, the family had moved to Mason City, and the business grew to be based on commercial insurance products.
Eventually, Jim and Liz threw away their winter coats and moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, and later Surprise, Arizona, all the while growing their thriving niche commercial livestock trailer insurance company. Jim and Liz worked hand-in-hand and did everything together, two peas in a pod and deeply in love.
In 2005 Jim and Liz returned to the Atlanta area to be closer to their grandchildren, Ella and James, actually moving into a home two doors down from Abby and her husband and the kids, who came and went as if they lived there, too.
Jim’s greatest loves in life were his sparkling bride, his grandchildren, tennis, sailing, the Atlanta Braves, golf, managing a good insurance claim fairly, grilling the hell out of what had been a very good steak and a good game of double twelve dominos. His favorite pastimes were driving a very small Ella around in his golf cart and building HO and later O scale (lesson learned) model railroads with James.
He loved strong and threw himself into everything he did, rarely doing anything halfway. He a world-class entertainer, the the life of the party and was fiercely loved for his jovial spirit and sense of humor.
Jim is survived by his sister, Gwen (James) Herbert of Corning, Iowa; brother, Robert (Vi) Garnett of Missoula, Montana; sister-in-law, Susie (Jay) Wilson of Perry, and sister-in-law, Martha (Doug) Stetzel of Perry; daughter, Abby (Travis) Willard; grandchildren, Ella and James Willard; several grand dogs and cats, and his own dog Ben, all of the Northshore of Boston, Massachusetts. Also surviving are niece, Lauri (David) Grossman, and nephew, Matt (Tracy) Herbert; nephew, Christopher Garnett; nieces, Emily (Donald) Spellman, Libby (Rykert) Toledano and Bridget (Garrett) Toay; and nephews, Sam Stetzel, Wil (Martha) Stetzel and Seth Stetzel; and niece, Julia Stetzel; and well as many great-nieces and great-nephews. These are the people whom he loved.
He was a kind, generous, loving father, grandfather, brother and Wonderful uncle, who always made us laugh and sometimes made us wonder what in the world he was talking about, but he never made us doubt his love for us. He is heartily and widely missed and will be for always.
A memorial service is being planned for after the new year in Perry, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, we ask that memorials be sent to: Poodle Rescue of New England, P.O. Box 441447, Somerville, MA 02144-0012.
