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In Memory

Ronald Garrett

Ronald “Ron” Garrett
August 30, 1941 – October 3, 2020

 

Ronald "Ron" Garrett passed away peacefully on October 3, 2020, in Spokane, WA.

Ron was born on August 30, 1941, in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama and obtained a Master's Degree in Metallurgical Engineering. He worked for Kaiser Aluminum in several cities. He then worked for Bechtel Corp. on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline for 20 years in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. He retired in Spokane at the age of 55.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Peggy Garrett, and brothers, Richard and Allen. He is survived by his sister Ginger Garrett of San Luis Obispo, CA, and his life partner, Nancy Paladin, and her family. He has numerous cousins in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

In 1981, ten days before Christmas, a plane with four passengers crashed on McKinley's Kahiltna Glacier. Due to strong winds and storms, air support rescue efforts were delayed. Without hesitation or concern for their safety, six veteran climbers from Talkeetna set out to rescue the crash survivors. Four days later, they reached the last snow barrier, located, and rescued two survivors. These heroic men were subsequently named the "Mountain Maniacs" for their courageous effort.

Ron was a member of the Indian Canyon Men's Golf Club. His playing partners Milo, Bill, Tim, Vinnie, Chuck, and Jeff, were among his best friends.

Due to Covid, a celebration will be held in the spring, hopefully. ROLL TIDE!

 

Published in Spokesman-Review on Nov. 8, 2020

Heritage Funeral Homes and Cremation, Spokane, WA

 

 
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02/21/21 07:22 AM #1    

Bill Howitt

Wow, I was thinking about Ron just the other day.  He was quite a character and quite a story teller.  I remember (and use) two of his quotes. The first is "I can't tell you anymore because I've already told you more than I know" and the second "I never repeat rumors, so listen carefully the first time".  Don't know why those so represent Ron's sense of humor, but they do.  I always enjoyed spending time with Ron and it usually brightened up my day when he showed up at my pump station or project office.  His climbing and mountaineering storys were legendary. Rest in peace Ron, miss you already.

 


02/21/21 07:37 AM #2    

Bill Howitt

Oop, almost forgot another of Ron's favorites, "Put the candle back!"


02/27/21 07:39 AM #3    

Walt Wood

I first met Ron on the PS01 Meter Building basement project in the early 80's.  But I really got to know Ron a few years later on a project at PS04.  He invited me to hike up a mountain with him after work.  So off we went.  I was not much of a climber at the time, but I do remember looking at a very tall mountain and noticing some Dall sheep way up high on it, just white specks, before too long, I was looking straight across at those sheep, note, they had not moved, and then a little later I was looking down on those sheep and the were way down there.  We reached the summit and left a film canaster with our names and the date of the hike.  I thought, it was going to take forever to get back down to the truck.  Not so, Ron just lept off into the air, it seemed, and "skiied" all the way to the bottom through a ravine of scree.  I followed and made it back to camp alive and with all my body parts still working.


02/28/21 08:39 AM #4    

Dave Norton

I only knew Ron through work on a series of projects. He always struck me as competent and confident in his abilities and knowledge, which in turn made me confident in the work I was doing with him. However, he also struck me as deeper and wider-ranging, with his stories of adventure and near-misses. I enjoyed working with him and I really enjoyed the stories he told me. RIP.


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