John Andrew Garrett

John Garrett age 82 of Norman, passed away on September 2, 2024. John Andrew Garrett was born on September 21, 1941 in Anadarko, OK to Edward Lee Garrett and Hazel Lea Garrett (Thompson). He grew up in the Anadarko area and attended school there, graduating with the Buffalo Class of 1960. John then attended the University of Central Oklahoma where he studied chemistry and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree. John married the love of his life Gala Vawn Hodges in Lindsay, Oklahoma on April 30, 1963, and their son Jason completed their family in 1971. John had an early interest in law enforcement and worked as a dispatcher for a time before applying for the FBI in 1966. John received his appointment letter from J. Edgar Hoover in October of 1966 and commenced training at Quantico, Virginia on April 24, 1967. After 16 weeks of training, he and his wife Gala, left Oklahoma City enroute to San Diego, California, his first assigned office. After one year of working in San Diego, he was transferred to the office in San Francisco, California. In April of 1973, the Garretts were in Chicago, Illinois for a few months before transferring to Rockford, Illinois. In March of 1980, he transferred to New Orleans, Louisiana because he knew it rarely snowed there. In January of 1981, he asked for and received a transfer to Alexandria, Louisiana because it was 200 miles from New Orleans and 200 miles closer to the great state of Oklahoma. In February of 1986, John received a transfer to Durant, Oklahoma, where in his words, he spent four long years, before transferring to Oklahoma City in 1990. John worked in the Oklahoma City field office until he retired in January of 1998. He always loved to tell the story of the time he spent 30 minutes with J. Edgar Hoover on March 30, 1970 in the Directors office in the U.S. Department of Justice building on Pennsylvania Ave in Washington D.C. In his retirement, John loved watching OU athletics, spending time with his family, taking a trip to the casino now and then, and traveling. John was also a part time staff member of Wilson-Little for a number of years, assisting with services and our Tri-City office. He attended church at Woodland Hills and cherished the friends and fellowship he had there. John was preceded in death by his parents Lee and Hazel Garrett, his wife Gala Garrett, his brother Tom Garrett, and sister Margie Walker. He is survived by his son Jason Garrett of Oklahoma City, brother Jim Garrett and wife Louise of Mustang, and Barbara Crider and husband Allen of Tulsa. John will be laid to rest at 2:00pm Thursday September 5, 2024 at Newcastle Memorial Garden, and a memorial service will be held 11:00 am Tuesday September 10, 2024 at Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Newcastle. Viewing will be held Wednesday September 4, 2024 from 12-7 pm.

John Andrew Garrett

September 21, 1941 - September 2, 2024