M Agnes Garner

Obituary of M Agnes Garner

M. Agnes Garner, age 98, passed away on February 19, 2021, at Grandma’s Angels Home in Tucson, AZ surrounded by her friends.  She was born December 13, 1922 to late Charlie & Agnes Garner in Moody, TX.  She was a 1940 graduate from Rosenberg High School in Rosenberg High School in Rosenberg, TX.  She went on to attend Howard Payne College and then finished up at Southwest TX State Teachers College in San Marcus, TX.  She received a B.S. 1944 and M.A. in 1948.

 

Agnes worked at Howard Payne College and Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, TX.  In 1956, she moved to Tucson, AZ to become a Assistant Professor of Physical Education at the University of Arizona.  She taught there until she retired in 1986.  Agnes served as a founder of Folklanders at the University of Arizona, which served as a multicultural performing group within Tucson as well as in Mexico as many students participated through the years.  Many of her students continued a friendship with her which speaks volume of the impact she had on their lives.

AGNES GARNER:  A LIFE WELL-LIVED

Written by Amy Cox (Great-Niece)

Our family and friends have lost a precious and beloved treasure.  Our dear Agnes let go of this earth and journeyed home to be with her Savior.  Words often fail to adequately describe a life.  She was so many things to many people:  a daughter, a sister to Margaret and Charleyne, an incredible aunt, great-great aunt, and friend; she loved people just as another grandmother or great grandmother. While she never had children of her own, she was a mother to so many souls.  She was a mentor and cherished friend to more hearts than we shall ever know.  We all admired her gentle spirit, her fierce love of family and friends, her quiet demeanor, her honesty of heart, her deep faith, and her tremendous interest in many aspects of life.  Agnes had such a fascinating life.  She had a strong spirit of adventure well into her nineties, and an interest in and love of cultures from around the world. Agnes was a life-long learner, a lover of history, especially family history, a story keeper, an image “capturer”, a lover of nature, a teacher, and a believer in the importance of travel. While teaching at the University of Arizona, she traveled the world, researching and learning folk dances from other countries to teach her students.  She taught some of these dances to young family members as well.  A niece remembers Agnes teaching her the modern Swiss Dance of the Sixties, the Duck Dance, now known as the Bord or Chicken Dance, so popular at weddings.  She was hip before it was cool.  She could talk for hours about legitimate traditional English and Scottish Country dancing, Contra dancing, and every other folk dance she devoted her journeys to learning and collecting.  Even in her nineties she would say, “Oh it’s been too long”, but she still remembered the steps accurately.  She loved music, had played well the trumpet and violin, believed in others’ dreams, and fostered the interests of those around her.  She had twinkly eyes which were often mischievous. She was delightfully quirky, strong, steady, supportive and dear.  A mighty group of beloveds were ready to enfold her into Heaven!  Oh, how dear family and friends shall miss her here on this earth, but she has started her loveliest adventure in the fullness of life, and how thankful we are that we shall see her again, when we all arrive in God’s eternal home. She lived an amazing life on this earth, and leaves a legacy of such deep love behind, all for which we give thanks to God!

 

 

For those who are interested in watching Agnes Garner Memorial Service feel free to click on the link to view the service.

 

https://youtu.be/LwZP7po4ouY

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Wednesday
3
February

Memorial Service

9:00 am - 10:00 am
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Emmanuel Baptist Church
1825 N Alvernon Way
Tucson, Arizona, United States
5203239379
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