Richard H. Garnett, 95, of Medfield, where he had been a resident since 1973, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at the Thomas Upham House in Medfield.
Formerly of Livingston, New Jersey, he was the son of the late Stanley I. and Ada (Willmott) Garnett. Born in Lowell, Massachusetts and raised in Cranston, RI, he was educated in the Cranston School system, graduating with the class of 1938. Richard furthered his education at the Lowell Textile Institute (now known as UMASS- Lowell). After graduating college and being a part of Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation”, he became a proud member of the United States Navy and served during World War II in the European-African Campaign.
After retiring as a sales representative for Union Carbide in New York City where he had been employed for a majority of his career, he worked for Garnett & Cowles (Benemax) in Medfield for many years. During his youth, he was a member of St. John’s Lodge, #1P, Edgewood section of Cranston, RI and of the Edgewood Yacht Club where he enjoyed sailing Narragansett Bay, both competitively and for leisure. He was a proud supporter of the Medfield High School ice hockey team and an avid fan of many of the professional New England sports teams. Mr. Garnett was most proud of his family and their accomplishments.
Husband of the late G. Carol (Bird) Garnett, he leaves 3 sons, Richard E. Garnett and his wife, Gay of Naples, Florida, William S. Garnett and his wife, Mary and Clifford A. Garnett and his wife, Kim all of Medfield, a brother Norval Garnett of Rhode Island, seven grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held in Medfield at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mr. Garnett’s memory may be made to “Thomas Upham House Resident Activity Fund”, 519 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
