Edna Lois Swindoll Garst

Edna was born on December 5, 1932, in Slate Springs, Mississippi, to Hattie Bell Mitchell Swindoll and Bryant Shaw Swindoll. Early in her life, the family moved to Calhoun City, Mississippi, where she attended the public schools, graduating high school in 1951. For one year, she attended MSCW (Mississippi State College for Women), in Columbus, then she transferred to Mississippi State College, in Starkville, from which she graduated.

At Mississippi State, she met John Garst of Jackson, Mississippi. They were married in Calhoun City on March 20, 1955. For the next three years, they lived in Ames, Iowa, where John was pursuing a PhD in Chemistry. When John graduated, they moved to West Haven, Connecticut, where he was an Instructor of Chemistry at Yale University for a year.

They then moved to Riverside, California, where John was an Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Their children, John Fredric Garst, Jr., and Jennifer Lynn Garst, were born in Riverside. In 1960, they moved to Athens, Georgia, where John joined the faculty of The University of Georgia and Edna worked as a medical technologist.

Edna worked as a Medical Technologist everywhere she lived. She retired in 1999 from the University of Georgia Student Health Service where she had helped to establish excellence in the lab as well as one of the state’s first anonymous HIV testing programs.

She was a beloved wife and mother. She deeply loved her grandchildren, Shelby Garst Sendlinger and Jack Garst Sendlinger, as well as her daughter, Jennifer Garst and son-in law, Shawn Sendlinger. She was an advocate for the poor and downtrodden and we have been flooded with stories about her love of people and generosity. She taught a free yoga class at the Athens Council on Aging until well into her eighties, hiked the Appalachian Trail with her dear friend and neighbor, Vickie Dickens, was a loving grandmother to her grandchildren and godchildren, Rachel and Anna Grossman, and enjoyed Saturday lunch with her faithful friend, Barbara Grossman weekly until just last week.

We are forever grateful to Gary Grossman and his family, Christopher's Bridge and her caregivers, Hospice and nurse Linda, her longtime friends in Athens, Charles Braucher and staff, St. Mary's Hospital and Dr. Allan Morgan and the staff of the NCCU, especially Nurse Grace, the Ila Café, Hilltop Grille, and Sr. Sol, ADD Drug, the Athens Council on Aging, and the Blonde Salon (Nicole) staff, and all who have known and loved her along the way.

She loved life, loved people, respected and fought for social justice for all, and enjoyed her white wine! She will be deeply missed by many.

Flowers are appreciated and please send any donations to the Lung Cancer Initiative of NC, 5171 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 401, Raleigh, NC 27612.

Her memorial service and celebration of life reception will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the UGA Botanical Gardens Chapel with a reception following downstairs. All who knew her and loved her are welcomed.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.