Edgar Garnette Dearth, Jr.

DEARTH, Edgar Garnette, Jr., 82, departed this life Thursday, January 17, 2019, at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, after a brief illness. Mr. Dearth is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sharon; son, Edgar III “Sonny” of Newport News; and his brother and sister-in-law, Robert T. “Terry” and Catherine “Kitty” Heffington. Mr. Dearth was born in Memphis, Tenn., and grew up in Greenwood, Miss. He was the head drummer in the marching band at Mississippi State University, from where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He became a commissioned officer in the United States Army and served in Ethiopia and in Heidelberg, West Germany. He was the officer in charge of the 503rd Truck Company and left the service as a captain. He gained his postgraduate MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance. He worked in the auto industry and for Union Pacific before moving in the early 1970s with his family to the Richmond area. There, he worked in the savings and loan industry until retiring in the late 1990s. He was a faithful husband and father. He was sharp-witted and an avid reader, especially regarding military topics, planes and automobiles. He loved his family and his cats. The family would like to thank the medical staff at Bon Secours for its outstanding coverage. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at 12 p.m. at Nelsen Funeral Home, 4650 S. Laburnum Ave., Richmond, Va. 23231. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be sent to the Henrico Humane Society, P.O. Box 28014, Richmond, Va. 23228 or an animal rescue shelter of your choice.