Walter Garner

Walter Clark Paul Garner was born February 6, 1936 in Canton, Ohio to Robert and Ruth Garner. He entered into heaven October 31, 2014 after a short stay at the Gordon Hospice House with his devoted wife Carolyn at his side. Prior to this, he had been lovingly cared for in his home by his family and the wonderful caregivers from Hospice of Iredell County and Home Instead. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Ruth Garner, and his brother Richard Shrum. He is survived by his wife Carolyn Garner, children Kelly Garner Yates and husband David, Robin Garner and Hilde Van den Hooff, grandchildren Erin and Benjamin Yates, Pascaline Van den Hooff, Lawrence Dewilde, Mateo and Emma Mouton and a sister, Bonnie Cuccia. Walter grew up in Canton, Ohio and graduated from McKinley High School. He then joined the Marine Corps where he proudly served his country as a Field Radio Operator. He enjoyed travelling the world with the Marine Corps until he returned home and married the love of his life and was blessed to share 54 years with her. Walter and Carolyn moved to New Jersey to start their life together where he owned an equipment rental company and also was manager of and photographer for the Middletown Courier newspaper. In 1968, Walter moved his family to Bermuda for a year where he was the manager of the marina in Hamilton. In 1973, he moved his family to North Carolina where he worked for BellSouth as the building operations manager for Western NC until his retirement in 1996. Walter had many talents and interests, foremost of these being mission work. He travelled to the gulf coast of Mississippi, Florida and Eastern NC with the Baptist Men to provide hurricane relief. He also travelled to Kentucky, Missouri, Germany, Belize and Palau to work on various building projects for area missions. After his return from Palau, he arranged for generators that had been retired from Bellsouth to be sent to the island so that the school would have electricity. He visited many shut-ins here in Statesville, bringing not only food and conversation, but also meeting other needs that he noticed during these visits. He truly was the hands and feet of Christ in the world. His other interests included driving in sports car rally competitions with Carolyn during the early years of their marriage, winning many trophies for their teamwork. He also enjoyed photography, videography, jazz music and travelling the world with his daughters to Ireland, England, Belgium and Italy. He additionally loved spending time with his grandchildren by hiking in the woods, riding trains through the mountains, playing golf, watching soccer games, baseball games, softball games, marching band competitions and excursions to the NC Zoo. Walter was a member of the West Iredell Ruritan Club where he served his community. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Statesville where he served as a deacon and was lovingly known as the Candy Man. Visitation will be held in Adams Hall at First Baptist Church from 1:00 until 2:45 pm on November 3, 2014. A service celebrating Walter's life will be held in the sanctuary at 3:00. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Nicholson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements and the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association and Hospice of Iredell County. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com .