Norman Vern Garner

Norman was born on August 29, 1930 in Roy, Utah. He was the oldest son of Vern and Carrie (Coy) Garner. On September 22, 1948 he and Delores Blanch were married for eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. They began their married life in Nyssa, OR. where Norman farmed and they started their family. Four children were born to them in Nyssa: Kenneth, LaRee, Lynn and Kurt. In 1958 the family moved to Othello WA and purchased a small farm. In Othello they were blessed with three more children: Bruce, Julie, and Eric.

The Columbia Basin Irrigation Project was just starting and Norman and Delores cleared the sagebrush, leveled the land and built irrigation ditches to make the desert bloom. Their efforts were successful and both the family and farm grew. Over the nearly three decades that he lived in Othello Norman was active in developing many farms and businesses. Norman was also active in the community, when the school levy failed in Othello Norman brought people together and worked with the activities booster club raising enough money to keep the sports and band programs active in the schools. He was also active in the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints serving in many ways, most notably as a bishop of his ward twice. He and Delores served a couples mission on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations in Arizona.

After a few years away from the farm in Nigeria and California he returned to the Colombia Basin moving to Mattawa where he worked on the farm with family. Recently Norman was too ill to continue helping on the farm and doctors diagnosed him with late stage lung cancer.

Norman was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Eric Ralph Garner. He is survived by his wife Delores of Desert Aire, his children Kenneth (Karen) Garner of Mattawa; LaRee (Brad) Kent of Othello; Julie (Lynn) Olsen II, of Pasco; Lynn (Rita) Garner of Priest Lake, ID; Kurt (Inez) Garner of Anchorage, AK and Bruce (Melanie) Garner of Warden, WA; his siblings Donna Woolley of Visalia, CA, Lois Sharp of Pasco, WA; Larna Munn of Prosser, WA; Jay Garner of Inez, TX and Douglas Garner of Caldwell, ID; 24 grandchildren and 48 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

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