William "Mark" Garner

William Mark Garner, age 86, passed away August 22, 2025, in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was born on December 30, 1938, to Leora Maurine Lowrey Garner and Dea Monroe Garner in Windom, Texas. Mark was the younger of their two children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leora Maurine Lowrey Garner and Dea Monroe Garner, and brother, Robert Lee Garner.

Mark is survived by his wife, Mildred (Milly) Covington Garner and daughter, Teresa Suzanne (Suzie) Garner of Grand Junction, Colorado; nieces, Nanette Petrie of Southlake, Texas, and Gwen Garner (Nancy Frederick) of Lucas, Texas, and other cousins and friends in Texas and Colorado.

As a boy in Windom, Mark loved coloring in his mother’s classroom, playing Monopoly with friends, and watching the trains that ran near town — a passion that never left him.

He attended Kermit High School and later the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. After graduation he worked as a pharmacist in several locations in Texas and Colorado.

In 1963, Mark met his future wife, Milly, in Kermit, Texas. Their first date was to get a coke at Dairy Queen, and later that year they were married in Nacogdoches, Texas, beginning 61 years of marriage.

In 2001, Mark and Milly moved to Grand Junction to be closer to their daughter. He went on to serve as a pharmacist at the Redlands Albertson’s and later at the Target Pharmacy, retiring in 2008.

Outside of his career, Mark found joy in many pursuits. He was a skilled beekeeper, a magician who loved to entertain, an artist who worked with stained glass and woodworking, and a photographer who captured the beauty of the West. He especially loved trains — both real and model — and was an active member of the Grand Valley Model Railroad Club and the Grand Junction R/C Modeleers Flying Club. He also loved playing board games, especially Monopoly, where he had every property card memorized and was tough to beat.

A memorial service will be held Friday, October 3, 2025, at 1:00 pm at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Grand Junction, Colorado. Interment will follow at a later date at Sunset Memorial Park in Nacogdoches, Texas.