Alexander F. Garvis

Alexander Frank Garvis, "Alex" age 81 of Melbourne, Florida, died Tuesday, April 13, 2004 at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Mr. Garvis moved to Melbourne FL over 20 years previous, but always stayed connected to Detroit and his local Detroit newspaper chums. He was born July 17, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan the son of the late Joseph and Veronica Garvis. Mr. Garvis Graduated Pershing High School, and was the editor of the Pershing Chronicle, a Varsity Tennis team member. He went on to study at Wayne State University as a Geography major but always enjoyed the news and media. While at Wayne State he worked as a Stringer for the Detroit News, and would call in sporting events as they happened. Mr. Garvis then would relay this information to the sports writer who would send then to be published. After college Mr. Garvis worked for the Detroit News as a Police reporter then a court reporter at Detroit Recorders Court. He always loved hobnobbing with police officers and judges. Mr. Garvis served in the Air Force during World War II, and Korea. During this period he was stationed at Wiesbaden Germany as a reservist but ultimately was called back to active duty. He was an airplane navigator. Mr. Garvis remained a National Guardsman with the rank of Major. He worked at the Detroit News from the 1940s to the 1950s, then joined the FAA as a public information officer to issue news releases and handle the press and media in Washington. While in Washington the FAA transferred him to Anchorage Alaska in charge of press relations in Alaska. During plane crashes he would handle the media. Mr. Garvis was then transferred to Los Angeles, California in charge of the state of Ca, NV and AZ, where he wrote numerous press releases and informational releases on the Supersonic jets. Mr. Garvis was very proud of his affiliation with the Air National Guard as navigator and would often receive rides aboard military aircraft. Mr. Garvis also enjoyed the Detroit Press Club where he remained a member. He enjoyed traveling and became interested in the Spanish language, and when he traveled to Mexico he realized the language was completely different from what he had learned. Eventually he would travel to Spain where the locals could understand his dialect. He also traveled to Germany, France, Scandinavia, Norway and South America He was preceded in death by all of his family except for one nephew, Mark Eddington of Pompano Beach Florida. Also surviving is his dear close friend Edwin Pipp who also worked at the Detroit News Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, on Thursday, April 22, 2004, at 11:00 am, officiating will be Rev. Fr. Donald Sopiak.