Gerald "Jerry" Harrison Garrett

July 7, 1946 ~ March 5, 2019

Gerald "Jerry" Harrison Garrett, 72, Sandusky, passed away in his home on March 6, 2019 after a lengthy illness.

He was born July 7, 1946 in Sidney, Ohio, to Paul and Freda (Brown) Garrett. He was raised in Sandusky and was a 1964 graduate of Sandusky High School where he was a varsity football player and a center for the basketball team earning all Buckeye Conference honors his senior year. He attended The Ohio State University and then joined the United States Air Force with tours of duty in Pakistan and the Philippines. After serving his country he returned to Sandusky where he began community service at the CAC and became a voice in the community for justice with leadership roles in BANG (Black Action Now Group) and as the past president of the NAACP. One of his great accomplishments was fighting for and winning school bus services for east side students.

Next stop in his journey was back to Columbus, Ohio where he began his business career as a marketing manager for Ohio Bell and A&TT and was also the assistant to the President at Ohio Dominican University. Jerry returned to his roots in Sandusky and again picked up his love and passion for community service as a consultant and Executive Director for the Human Relations Commission for the City of Sandusky. His love for his community was undeniable and he always found time to help where needed. His volunteer service included but was not limited to: Board Member, Volunteer Center of Erie County; Officiating with the Special Olympics Erie Bucks of Sandusky; presenter/diversity speaker for Leadership Erie County; setup volunteer for Sandusky Main St. Friday night parties in the plaza; Volunteer for Sandusky Education Association's "We Care" program; facilitator at a panel discussion for Sandusky City School's summit concerning the opiod epidemic. Jerry also loved music and in his spare time found great joy performing with the J-Markz. With all these accomplishments his biggest and most cherished was as a caregiver to his loving mother the late Freda Garrett.

Jerry leaves cherishable memories to his two brothers; Paul Garrett (Lottie) of Birmingham, Al. and George Garrett (Sharon) of New Albany, Ohio; one aunt, Patricia Tripp of Dayton, Ohio; nieces and nephews, Victor (Kathy), Jheron (Ayanna), Terra (Lamar), Eric (Kristi), Kysha (Bill) and Kelly (Dashiell) as well as a host of great nieces and nephews, cousins loved ones, friends and special friends Joe Heyberger (Kathy) and Jennifer Washington affectionately known as "the date".

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Freda Garrett and both sets of grandparents.

Friends may call from 10am until time of the Celebration of Life Memorial service at 12 noon on Saturday March 16 in Toft Funeral Home & Crematory, 2001 Columbus Ave, Sandusky.