Herbert Charles Garrett

Herbert C. Garrett, Jr., walked through the door to his heavenly home on December 24, 2020.

He was born in Woodruff, SC, on December 9, 1928 to Herbert C. Garrett and Viola Brown Garrett.

            A graduate twice of Woodruff High School, where he stayed an extra year to play football, his nickname was “Goat.”

            He went to the Citadel where he excelled but left a semester early to join the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He served in Japan and Korea. After serving five years, he returned to complete his degree at Carson Newman before entering Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he met and married Jane Houston.

Four children followed: Steven Charles Garrett (Katherine), Robert Naylor Garrett, Daniel Houston Garrett (Kim), and Dr. Paula Kathryn Garrett (Donna Read). In addition to his children and their spouses, he is survived by ten grandchildren: Jordan Garrett, Caleb Garrett (Aubrey), Ashley Cloonan (Ryan), Courtney Glover (Brent), Houston Garrett (Brittany) and Read Garrett. And he is beloved by seven great-grandchildren: Aly Grace and Henry Cloonan; Eli and Charlotte Glover; and Colt, Shobal, and Evangeline Garrett.

He is also survived by his sister, Anne Garrett Welborn (Tom), and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and by his brothers Billy Garrett and Ansel Garrett.

He was awarded a doctorate by Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. He served eight churches as pastor—three in South Carolina and five in Texas. Following retirement, he served twenty-one churches in South Carolina as interim pastor.

He was instrumental in the organization of Baptist College of Charleston and served on the Board of three other Baptist colleges, two homes for the aging, and many additional committees and boards. He was named “Pastor of the Year” by Texas Baptists and awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Spartanburg  County Baptist Network and Pastor Emeritus by Southside Baptist Church in Spartanburg. An avid traveller, he made eight trips to Jerusalem and led tours of numerous European countries. He spent six weeks in South Africa at the invitation of the mission board. Ministry and mission were his passions.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses who cared for him, especially those at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and at the Hospice Home.

Private services will be held by the family, with Lanford-Gwinn Mortuary in Woodruff is handling the arrangements.  His grandsons will serve as pallbearers. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be sent to the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home or to Southside Baptist Church.

“Papa Doc” will be missed by many.