Raymond Horace Garnant

Born in Putnam Township, Linn County, Iowa on May 18, 1922
Departed on December 29, 2008. Resided in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Memorial

Raymond “Ray” Horace Garnant, 86, of Cedar Rapids, died December 29, 2008 at Mercy Medical Center. Funeral Services will be held 1:30 PM, Saturday, January 3, 2009 at People’s Unitarian Universalist Church. Rev. Tom Capo will officiate. Friends may call from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, on Friday, January 2, 2009 at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, and after 12:30 on Saturday at the church. Entombment will take place at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Ray was born on May 18, 1922, the son of Horace Garnant and Lois Fuhrmeister Garnant, at his parents’ home in Putnam Township, Linn County, Iowa.

Ray graduated from Wilson High School, Cedar Rapids, where he served as president of the Class of 1940. He met his future bride, a senior from Franklin High School, at a school dance. A saxophonist and oboist in the high school band, his love of music lasted a lifetime, passing that passion onto his children and grandchildren and continuing in his support of the Cedar Rapids Symphony. Ray attended the University of Iowa. He joined the University of Iowa’s ROTC contingent in 1943, subsequently was graduated from UI, and then went into active duty.

Ray served as a rifleman in the 399th Infantry, 100th Division, during World War II. He was wounded in mountain action southwest of Bitche, Alsace, France in November 1944. After evacuation through Marseilles, hospitalization and recuperation at Richmond, Staten Island, NY and Springfield, Missouri, he returned home to the family farm near Ely after VJ day 1945, and married the love of his life, Barbara Clay, the following May.

For most of his career, Ray worked for LeFebure, retiring from the firm in 1987. His close friendships at the firm included a number of colleagues who were members of the People’s Church Unitarian/Universalist. Ray was a very active church member, served on a number of committees and chaired the building committee. He helped lead the effort for the conservation and restoration projects on the structure of the original church building.

Ray had the opportunity to visit and view New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty - not while embarking towards danger in war-ravaged France, nor while recuperating on Staten Island, but to celebrate the Liberty Centennial, the gala of Tall Ships on parade along with the USS Iowa. Following retirement, he, along with many of his fellow veterans, was able to return to France, to visit that area of Alsace where they had endured such a harsh Winter’s conflict, and to be honored by the local citizens.

Preceeding him in death were his parents.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years: Barbara Garnant; his brother and wife: Maurice and Rachel Garnant of rural Cedar Rapids; a daughter: Chrys Garnant and partner Phyllis of Middletown, NJ; a son: Monte Garnant and partner Melanie Leung of Burnsville, MN; his granddaughters and grandson: Sarah and her husband Doug Whitney of Burnsville, MN, Lara Garnant of Middletown, NJ, Andrea Garnant of Des Moines, IA, and Brian Garnant of Burnsville, MN; his great granddaughters: Hanah and Ada Whitney; his nieces and nephew: Beverly Garnant of St Louis, MO, Maureen Smith of Clinton, IA, Kristin Garnant and her partner Skip Willits of Comanche, IA, and James and his wife Sheryl Garnant of Cedar Rapids, IA; and numerous cousins, other relatives and friends.

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