John T. Garver died on May 19th in Denver, Colorado where he had moved the day before to live with his daughter. He was born July 14, 1930 to Harvie and Hope (Foght) Garver in Duluth, Minnesota. John attended schools in Duluth before graduating from Carlton College in 1951. He served four years in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and at Tongue Point, Astoria, OR. His time in the Navy gave him a deep love for travel which he held his entire life. In 1962 he married Susan Cowan in Denver, CO. They had two children, Paul and Julia. Sadly, Paul died at 17 in 1981 which devastated John. Soon after he and Susan divorced and he moved to Boulder, CO. In 1992 he married Erlene Case who shared his love for travel and meeting interesting and interested people. They were married for almost 33 years before Erlene proceeded him in death by only a few weeks. Though John’s profession was as a financial advisor for 35 years, he was a poet at heart. He loved language and using words that were lost to the mainstream. He shared this fondness with his granddaughter, Ryleigh, with spirited banter and tons of laughter. His witty sayings will stay with her as they were truly unforgettable. He loved Ryleigh deeply, a feeling that was equally shared. John had a voice like no other. He would sing in any situation that allowed his voice to rise and fill the room. Often he sang hilarious renditions of songs, making those listening laugh. He showcased his amazing tenor in church choirs and in Barbershop chorus. He also loved the theater and attended many plays with Erlene. He found himself on stage in several productions, always stealing the show with his remarkable facial expressions. John enjoyed time with Erlene’s children, Jennifer (Tim), Melinda (Dave) and Chris who proceeded him in death as well as his step grandchildren, Tanner, Ryan (Megan) and Alyson. They all often gathered for fun filled trips and adventures. He and his daughter, Julia, had an extremely tight bond. They took trips and camped together, often discussing philosophy while laying under a star filled sky. They actually liked each other and looked forward to spending time together doing the simple things in life. John was a humble man and did not always see how much he was loved by others. He wrote a bit of this obituary years ago, and said this of himself: An extensive thinker, he enjoyed antique automobiles, museums of all kinds, keeping abreast of world news, ethnic foods, the great variety of humanity, compassionate service, and “being a character”. John loved ice cream, and would sleuth out the best hot fudge sundae (with peanuts) any where he went. An Ice Cream Social will be held as a Celebration of Life June 21st from 1:00 - 3:00 at Trinity Episcopal Church 44 North Second St. Ashland, OR 97520