Gloria Garrett

Feb. 15, 1932-June 13, 2015

Gloria passed away peacefully at home from an astrocytoma (brain cancer). Her partner of 46 years, Nancy Crosby, and much-loved friend, Corwin Clairmont, were with her. Beloved friends Sue and Joe McNees were nearby.

Gloria, the youngest of 11 children, was born at home in Mathews County, Virginia, to Nettie Raines Minor Garrett and Edwin F. Garrett on Feb. 15, 1932. She had a wonderful youth playing in the side creeks of the Chesapeake in Mathews County, being in the boat netting crabs and generally having a sweet childhood. Her parents didn't have many material things, but her mama and daddy and her older brothers and sisters gave her the foundations for her life: honesty, a solid work ethic, love and loyalty to family and friends.

Gloria graduated from Mathews High School in 1950 and soon joined the Air Force. She was honorably discharged in 1954. She always said four good years in the Air Force for four years of college wasn't a bad deal. She attended New Mexico State University under the GI Bill, graduating with a degree in English in 1958. She also attended Oregon State University while beginning her master's credits. She taught English, first in Utah and then in Las Vegas for the remainder of her teaching career. She completed her master's degree in deaf education in 1974 through classes at Montana State University in Bozeman and at University of Nevada-Las Vegas. While in the Clark County School District, Las Vegas, she taught English at Jim Bridger Jr. High School and Cannon Junior High School. She was a dedicated and excellent teacher.

In June 1983, Gloria and Nancy took a chance, quitting their jobs, selling their Las Vegas home and moving to the Ninemile Valley 30 miles west and north of Missoula. They had worked for over five years to pay for their home in the Upper Ninemile on Kennedy Creek as it was being built. The first years, with no income to speak of, were called "planned poverty." For almost 30 years they watched the wildlife at the pond and in the valley, loved all the Ninemile had, put the finishing touches on their home, made everlasting friends and started and developed their business, Featherco, becoming known affectionately as "the feather ladies." Featherco took them hurtling down the freeways in the van throughout the Southwest, selling a variety of quality feathers to high-end gourd artists, talented crafters and mask makers. In 2010, they made the decision to leave the Ninemile and found another perfect home for them and their pets in west Missoula; not country, but not town.

All of Gloria's brothers and sisters predeceased her. She is survived by Nancy Crosby at their home. She is also survived by her niece, Audrey Mae Mason (Gordon) of North, Virginia; nephew, Howard and Camilla Wainwright and families of Yorktown, Virginia; her fur children (yes, f-u-r), kitties Samuel Siamese, Timothy White (who rarely left her) and Black Jack, and her dog Ellie; and many grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins, all of Virginia, especially Carol Ann Goin (Chip) and Cristy Ramsey and families. Friends were so dear to her: Jan Swartz and families, Vaden Fowler and Merlene Neville of Las Vegas, Joe and Sue McNees, Mark and Bobbie Twite and family, Joe and Marilyn Forte, Tess Forte and Carl Baker, Jack Low, Robbie Levine, Corwin (Corky) ) Clairmont and Linda King, David Clairmont, Jerry Akers, Archie Tamietti and family, Val Hassman and Jeff Hill, Bob Hassman, Ann Hassman Cordle, Helen Cerny Putnam and family, Pam Ruble Smith and family; plus many wonderfully talented "gourders," mask makers and artists in the Southwest, California, Idaho and Washington.

Words cannot express gratefulness for the care and compassion given to Gloria by all of the Partners in Home Care Hospice staff. They are truly the finest of people.

As Gloria wished, there will be no services or memorial. Gloria has been cremated and her ashes sent to her Virginia family for interment at the foot of her mama's and daddy's graves in Providence Cemetery in Mathews, Virginia. Condolances may be sent to Audrey and Gordon Mason, P.O. Box 305, North, VA, 23128; or Nancy Crosby, 9169 Paintbrush Lane, Missoula, MT 59808.

If you wish, a memorial contribution may be made to the charity of your choice in her name.

Read Gloria Garrett's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.