Roy Garrett
Roy Garrett

Obituary of Roy Lee Garrett

Roy Lee Garrett, 84, of Lynchburg, passed away on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at The Summit Assisted Living. He was the devoted husband of Eleanor Garrett for 61 years until her death in 2020.

 

A life well lived is a precious gift

Of hope and strength and grace,

From someone who has made our world

A brighter, better place

It’s filled with moments, sweet and sad

With smiles and sometimes tears,

With friendships formed and good times shared

And laughter through the years.

A life well lived is a legacy

Of joy and pride and pleasure,

A living, lasting memory

Our grateful hearts will treasure

 

- Author Unknown

 

    Born on December 8, 1937, Roy Lee was the only child of the late Roy and Zelda Lowder Garrett of Bluefield, WV. Roy Lee was a licensed Pharmacist for 59 years, having retired from Centra Health in 1999. After retiring, he volunteered at the Lynchburg Health Department until his stroke in 2017.

    Roy Lee is survived by his two sons, Steven Charles Garrett and his wife Shirley, of Wake Forest, NC and David Lee Garrett and his wife Cindy, of Mechanicsville, VA, and two grandsons, Tyler John Lee Garrett and his wife Michelle of Richmond, VA, and Dale Austin Lee Garrett of Richmond, VA.

    The family wishes to express their appreciation and thanks to the staff at The Summit Assisted Living for their loving care over the past five years.

    Roy Lee met his future wife at MCV in Richmond. After marrying and his graduation in 1959 and her graduation in 1960, the couple moved to his hometown of Bluefield, WV for approximately 2 years. Roy Lee accepted an offer to open the Forest Hill Pharmacy in Lynchburg in 1962. He remained at Forest Hill for 12 years, and established lifelong friendships with customers, vendors, and employees during that time. It was a local landmark, including a soda fountain and grill in addition to the products and services commonly offered in pharmacies today. After leaving Forest Hill, Roy worked the remainder of his career at the pharmacy in Lynchburg General Hospital / Centra. In typical fashion, he formed close friendships with colleagues and other staff at the hospital that continued until his passing.

    Roy Lee had various interests, including tennis and golf, travel, and was a sports fan in general. He was a long-time fan of UVA athletics, having adopted the team after moving to Lynchburg. He and Eleanor held season tickets for football and basketball for about 40 years and enjoyed the good times and fellowship of tailgating with friends and family regardless of the outcome of the games; most times, he actually made it back into the stadium for the 2nd half.  Locally, Roy Lee and Eleanor were active supporters of the E.C. Glass Band for the 8 years their sons were members and continued to attend football games to support the Hilltoppers. Roy also supported the Lancers when his wife Eleanor was on staff at Amherst County High School.

    Roy Lee was very interested in history and attended the meetings of the Local Civil War Roundtable until his health declined.  He enjoyed visiting historic sites and touring battlefields with the group.

He enjoyed attending services at Peakland United Methodist Church and volunteered as a Pew Attendant for several years until his stroke left him unable to drive.

   Along with Eleanor, Roy Lee was a devoted dog lover, having provided a loving home to 11 or 12 dogs over the years. Most of the dogs were rescues in some way, including the last several Shih Tzu dogs. There were often at least two dogs napping on the sofa or recliner with him on lazy afternoons.

    A memorial service will be held on March 25, 2023, at 2:30 pm at the Chapel of Diuguid Timberlake, 21914 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg, VA with the Rev. Joe Cailless officiating. . In honor of their wishes, Roy Lee and Eleanor’s cremains will be divided and each will be buried in two locations. An interment will take place prior to the memorial service in the family plot at 10:00 a.m. at Montvale Presbyterian Church, 175 Dewey Road, Montvale, VA. A second interment will take place at 1 p.m. at Fort Hill Memorial Park, 5196 Fort Avenue, Lynchburg, VA.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lynchburg Humane Society, 1211 Old Graves Mill Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502 or the MCV Foundation, 1228 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23258. Any donations to the MCV foundation should be designated to the School of Pharmacy and include Roy Lee’s name on the memo line. Checks should be made payable to the MCV Foundation and donors are encouraged to include a note explaining your donation intentions to facilitate proper donation designation.

Diuguid Funeral Service & Crematory, Timberlake Road, 434-338-7094, is serving the family. On-line condolences may be sent to www.DiuguidFuneralService.com.

 

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Saturday
25
March

First Interment

10:00 am - 10:30 am
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Montvale Presbyterian Church Cemetery
175 Dewey Rd.
Montvale, Virginia, United States
Saturday
25
March

Second Interment

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Fort Hill Memorial Park
Fort Ave
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
434-239-6951
Saturday
25
March

Memorial Service

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Diuguid Funeral Service - Waterlick
21914 Timberlake Rd
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
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