Ray Garrett, formerly of Odessa, is turning 100

On Friday, November 4, 2016 at 2 p.m. at Riverview Care Center's multipurpose room, 1841 East Upriver Drive in Spokane, the family and friends of Ray A. Garrett, former resident of Odessa, will celebrate his 100th birthday.

Ray Anderson Garrett was born November 4, 1916, 10 miles out of West Plains, Missouri. The doctor came to the house in a horse-driven buggy. His parents were Stillman and Katherine (McLelland) Garrett. He was the youngest of four boys, Paul (1905), Lee (1908) and Othel (1910).

He rode a horse to a one-room schoolhouse until attending three years of high school at Bransville, located three miles away from the homestead. His mother develped breast cancer and died when he was 17. He spent his final year of high school at the School of the Ozarks, working his way through as a farm hand and working the store rooms for clothing and kitchen supplies. Someone at the School of the Ozarks got him a job at the International Shoe Company working in the warehouse and later on in the office. He worked there six and a half years.

He joined the U.S. Navy November 29, 1941, just before Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7. Basic training was at the Great Lakes out of Chicago. Then he was posted to Bremerton. After that, he was stationed at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. He worked in the warehouses, handling supplies going in and out. On June 3 and 4, 1942, that area was bombed. He remembers it being very damp and chilly.

After Dutch Harbor he went to Farragut, Idaho and worked the supply department for clothing, etc. A big night out was heading to Spokane on a Friday night and then back on Monday or Wednesday. They stayed at the Desert Hotel where the rooms were nice and air-conditioned. They would also go to the basement of the Coeur d'Alene Hotel for cocktails and dancing. They ate at the Desert Hotel and the Brotherhood of Friends Lodge in Spokane, which he had joined prior to getting married. He met Velma and Ruth Collier at a tavern at North 5 Post, Ben Stubbeck's place. Ruth said, "I have a little sister for you to meet." Velma (known to all as "Babe") was working at M&M jewelry store after having also worked at Dodson's jewelry store. She also worked at Kress dime store as an assistant manager and as a waitress.

On dates, they went to the lodge, had dinner out, went to Natatorium Park and swimming at Lake Coeur d'Alene, which he didn't like very much.

Ray was honorably discharged from the Navy on November 5, 1945 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He married Babe January 10, 1946 in a reverend's home on the south hill. Babe's sister Ruth and a friend, Tom Strait, were witnesses.

He attended the School of Telegraphy in Spokane for a few months. His first job was in Ephrata, then Quincy and on to Columbia River. He got Odessa on a bid. In July he started working swing shift, then was switched to day shift. He loved the Great Northern Railway which later merged with the Burlington Northern, now BNSF.

At first they lived in the Hotel Odessa until John Hopp's duplexes had been constructed. They moved to the train depot when their children Rayna Lee and Pat were aged five and three, paying $10 a month to live there. The living quarters had a living room, large kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom. Rayna Lee graduated from Odessa High School in 1967 and Pat in 1969.

The Garretts left Odessa June 30, 1972, after which he worked at the Ellensburg depot on the day shift as ticket cashier. He retired September 5, 1979. They returned to Spokane and lived on Mountain View Lane and after that in Walt Worthy's duplex on Lemon Lane in Nine Mile. Babe died in 1989.

Ray married Margaret Bolitho, a long-time family friend in 1990. They lived in Margaret's home on the south hill before moving to Harvard Park retirement community. She died in 2008.

Ray and Babe had three children: Raydene, born September 15, 1947 (who lived only two days), Rayna Lee, born May 19, 1949 and Pat Stillman, born May 2, 1951.