Michael Gene Garrett (1956-2011)

Michael Gene Garrett (January 18, 1956 - November 27, 2011) is my grandfather.

Biography
Mike was born on January 18, 1956 to Carlos Eugene Garrett and Barbara Ann Hill in Muncie, Indiana.

He first attended school in about August 1961 and graduated in about late May 1973.

After he got out of school, Mike married Linda Marlene McCowan in mid 1974 and that next year they had their oldest daughter, Felicia Lynn Garrett on December 22, 1975. Two years after Felicia was born, they had their youngest daughter, Regina "Gina" Dawn Garrett in early 1977.

Mike went into the military and served as a lieutenant around the early 1980's.

Around January 7, 2011, Mike woke up about 7:00am EDT and told his wife who was still asleep that he couldn't breathe. Linda called 911 and he was taken to Ball Memorial Hospital where he was put on a ventilator.

He was diagnosed with pneumonia at the top and bottom of both lungs. Eventually, he recovered and was able to get out of the hospital around June 2011 and stayed out of the hospital for about 2 months.

Then about September 2011, he again couldn't breathe and was put back on an ventilator at Ball Memorial Hospital.

The family took him to a nursing home in Connersville, Indiana. He stayed there for a while and then had to go back to Ball Memorial Hospital in November 2011.

On Saturday, November 26, 2011, Mike sang the first verse of Amazing Grace while staring into space. Mike never sang and he only knew the first verse, but his oldest daughter who served as the piano player at their church helped him sing the last two verses that the family knows. It sort of served as a sign that when he dies he is going to Heaven.

On Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 10:36am, Mike took his last breath with his youngest daughter and wife at his side. His oldest daughter was in the hallway recooperating because she just wasn't strong enough to see her father die.

Calling hours were held from 4:00pm to 8:00pm, Tuesday, November 29, 2011. His funeral was held at Mt. Olive Freewill Baptist Church with his father-in-law, James Oliver McCowan, officiating on November 30, 2011 at 11:00am. He was buried in Marion National Cemetery in Alexandria, Indiana that same day.

Descendants

 * Michael Gene Garrett (1956-2011) and Linda Marlene Garrett (1954-)
 * Felicia Lynn Garrett (1975-) m. Jimmie Ray Hamm Jr. (1977-)
 * Seth Andrew Hamm (2001-) <-- Me!
 * Caleb Huston Hamm (2002-)
 * Regina "Gina" Dawn Garrett (1977-) m. Stephen "Steve" Dane Willard (1977-)
 * Kyle James Willard (1998-)