Evelyn I. Garner Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Evelyn I. Garner, age 94, died peacefully at her Jackson residence on Sunday, October 4, 2020. She was born in the Edison Community in Gibson County on August 29, 1926, the daughter of the late William Herbert and Mary D. Perrygin Bledsoe. She was married to Paul Garner, Sr, who preceded her in death. When she graduated from Peabody High School in Trenton, she had plans to attend West Tennessee Business School to become a secretary, but those plans were placed on hold to care for family. During her life, she was employed in several business positions and even served as Paul's personal secretary, in his managerial line of work. It was at Mutual Market, a grocery store owned by her half-brother, Bill Bledsoe, where she met a tall handsome Navy veteran named Paul Garner, a marriage that lasted sixty-six years. They were blessed with two children, Cassa and Andy. Evelyn and Paul were very active members of West Jackson Baptist Church, where they created the Exceptional Children’s Ministry, still active after fifty years. She is survived by her two children, Cassa Garner Seabrook of Jackson, TN, and Andy Garner of Knoxville, TN; two grandchildren, Amy Seabrook Wilson of Murfreesboro, TN, and Todd Seabrook (Katie) of Jackson, TN; five great-grandchildren, Harland Wilson, Case Wilson, Sawyer Seabrook, Brodie Seabrook, and Olivia Seabrook. She was preceded in death by her brother, William Gayle Bledsoe, and her half-brothers, Bill Bledsoe, Kilzer Bledsoe, and Paul Bledsoe. SERVICES: A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, in the chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors, with Rev. Ron Hale and Tim Fortner officiating. Burial will follow at Ridgecrest Cemetery. The family will be receiving friends from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM, prior to the service. Pallbearers will be Ron Barger, Dwight Blankenship, John Bledsoe, Mike Bledsoe, Richard Hendrick and Don Wilson. Honorary pallbearers will be Sam Cogdell and Maurice Guinn. The family is requesting that memorial contributions be directed to West Jackson Baptist Church, c/o the Exceptional Children’s Ministry, 580 Oil Well Road, Jackson, TN, 38305, or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Arrington Funeral Directors, 148 W. University Parkway 668.1111 www.arringtonfuneralgroup.com

Evelyn I. Garner

August 29, 1926 - October 4, 2020