Robert C. Garlett

Robert Craig Garlett was born March 13, 1945, in Fairfax, Oklahoma. His family home was a very small one, shared with his mother, Mary Helen Shaw, his father, Roy Leonard Garlett, and six siblings in Ralston, Oklahoma, right across the Arkansas River from Osage Country. The Native American influences all around him would play a huge part in his love of the outdoors and his family. Robert excelled in scholastic, athletic and community endeavors. He was the 1963 Editor of the Ralston Tiger Yearbook and Valedictorian of his Senior Class. He was recognized all four years of high school as being scholastically in the top 10% of students in Oklahoma and was a member of the Ralston Honor Society. His activities included Basketball which was the school and town sport. He played with heart and strategy and as anyone who played with him knows, with the kind of focus you need to win. After graduation from Ralston he traveled northwest, ending up in Tacoma, Washington where he got much needed work at an oil refinery. He enrolled in the University of Puget Sound where he obtained a Bachelors of Education in 1967 along with certifications in elementary and middle school education. He was awarded his Masters in Education in 1972 and subsequently earned his administrative credentials. Field Biology was always a passion and was put to good use in his first job as a 6th grade Teacher in Tacoma Schools. His knowledge and love of the natural world led him to an instrumental role in their Outdoor Education Program. His career moved him from Tacoma back to Oklahoma where he was the principal of a private school. He returned to Washington in 1972 where he became Assistant Principal of Zellerback middle school in Camas. He continued to advance his career becoming Principal of Sifton Elementary in 1980 opened the brand new Burnt Bridge Creek Elementary. He returned to Camas School District in 1997 as Principal of Dorothy Fox Elementary and then back to JDZ when converted to an elementary school. Robert retired from Camas School District in 1998 after 31 years of service in Education. However, his career wasn't over yet. He was hired for the 98-99 school year to be the interim Principal at View Ridge Elementary in Ridgefield as the current principal was dealing with a serious illness. While his career in Education was a very high priority, nothing was more important than family. He coached youth basketball and played in the local pick-up games. Traveling all over the United States with his beloved wife, Pamela (married in 1985) including Garlett family reunions, national parks, native American heritage sites and excellent fishing and golfing destinations. Retirement brought him even more adventures. Robert and Pam moved to Ocean Park, Washington as a home-base for golfing and RVing. In 2006 they decided to do some volunteering and signed up with the Habitat for Humanity's Care-A-Vanner group to do home builds around the country. Over the next 10 years they would help to provide stable, affordable, safe homes for families in many different states and were abundantly rewarded with lifelong friends. Traveling has always been a way to get to and explore natural places, birdwatching and hiking. Recent trips took Robert and Pam to Point Arena and the California Coastal National Monument, Potholes and Palouse State Parks, and Lynden, WA exploring Birch Bay and surrounding places. When not traveling, Robert filled the quiet times with crafts. He learned to weave chair seats and backs from his Uncle Ralph Shaw and loved doing it. He made gifts of chairs to many people over the years and often made them for different organizations as raffle gifts and prizes. He took requests from friends and family for special weavings on their own frames which needed repair. At the same time Robert developed a knack for making pine needle baskets. He would scout materials because Long Pine needles are found around places like Lake Tahoe, Florida and MaryHill State Park. One of his Winter projects was making warm stocking caps. His loom was busy crafting different size hats for Share House and other shelters around Vancouver to distribute to families and people in need. He would use two yarns in coordinating colors and enjoyed putting different combinations together. Throughout the years family gatherings were incredibly important to Robert. Since the Garletts were dispersed across the states, reunions provided wonderful opportunities for all the generations to be together. Family Raft trips on the Deschutes made it exciting as well. Closer to home, holidays, birthdays and weekend times together were cherished. Loud laughing during a rousing game of Farkle will be dearly missed. Robert continues to have a positive effect on people's lives. Donation of his tissue was made through the Lion's Vision Gift program. Robert Craig Garlett, loving and giving man, nature advocate, humanitarian, and so many other things has truly been our gift. Robert is survived by his wife, Pam Garlett of Vancouver, Washington, his son David and wife Tamara Garlett of Beaverton, Oregon; his daughter Tami and husband Daniel Platt, of Sherwood, Oregon, and siblings Joseph Garlett of Norman, Oklahoma; Sharon Ray of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Gary Garlett of Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Robert C. Garlett

March 13, 1945 - May 25, 2022