Leslie Anne Garrett

Services will be Thursday, September 26, 2024 at Sacred Heart Catholic, Church. With Visitation 9-10 AM and a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Leslie was born on March 16, 1936 in Columbia the daughter of Doral Flynn and Dorothy (Dysart) Flynn both of whom preceded her in death. She graduated from Hickman High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri. While at the University she served as the first woman president of the Student Union Board. The highlight of her presidency was the night the Student Board sponsored Eleanor Roosevelt to speak to the student body. Leslie sat next to Mrs. Roosevelt at dinner and then introduced her when she spoke at Jesse Hall.

Leslie was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, Motor Board, LSV, Phi Beta Kappa and Who’s Who is American Colleges and Universities.

In 1945 Leslie was selected by the City of Columbia as a Community Ambassador to Nottingham, England. Her travel arrangements were made through The Experiment in International Living which was then active throughout the United States. She sailed from New York to Great Britain along with nine other members of her group under the direction of a leader from Canada. She spent a month in Nottingham where the girls all lived with host families with girls their age. Afterwards all the girls took the train to Scotland where they spent several weeks hiking and hosteling around Loch Lomond and other sites in Scotland. They ended their visit by attending the Edinburgh Music Festival. The American girls and their leader then spent a week in London before heading back to the states. Leslie gave more than 50 speeches to various clubs, civic groups and schools about this trip during her sophomore year at Mizzou.

After a year of post-graduate studies she and her high school sweetheart, Robert W. Garrett of Columbia were married on June 14, 1958 at the base chapel in Harlingen, Texas where Robert was assigned following his graduation from the University with a BS in Electrical Engineering and an Air Force Commission.

In 1965 Leslie began work as a computer programmer for Pan American Airways, support contractor for the Air Force at Cape Canaveral. She remained in the computer field for 27 years, advancing to the management level at VSE Corporation, Alexandria, VA where she spent the last twenty years of her career. During those years Robert managed the Legislative computer systems for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

Leslie and Robert spent three years in Japan and lived in six state ranging from Florida to California. They enjoyed travel and visited 49 states and 12 countries together before retiring to Columbia in 1991.

Leslie was a member of the Ruth Major Circle of King’s Daughters, and active member for many

Years of the Show-Me Cosmo Club and the Social Concerns Commission at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Leslie was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of 61 years, Robert; one sister: Michael Elizabeth Basler; her stepmother: Rose Page; one aunt: Billie Flynn of Maple Valley, WA; one nephew: Travis Flynn. Leslie is survived by two brothers: Matt (Judith) Flynn of Kansas City; Tim (Jane) Flynn of Columbia; three step-sisters: Carolee Ward of Elgin, SC; Leslie Wright of Asheville, NC; Ginger (Fred) Kelley of Warsaw, MO; four nieces: Christy Baioni; Kerrie (Scott) Sinott; Kathy Heverly; Gillian (Brett) Flynn Nolan; one nephew: Jim Basler; one brother in law: Jerry Basler and a host of cousins; great nieces and great nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Food Bank of Central and NE Missouri or Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com