Thomas Harold Garner

Thomas Harold Garner, 82, of Fairview, NC, formerly a long time resident of Seneca, SC died on October 14, 2012. Services for Mr. Garner will be held Thursday at 11:30 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at Wells Highway, Seneca, SC. The family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 PM on Wednesday, Oct 17 at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC and also from 10:00-11:00 AM on Thursday, October 18 at the church in Seneca, SC. Burial will follow at Oconee Memorial Park. Mr. Garner was born July 4, 1930 in Farmer, NC. He is the son of the late Milton Worth and Mary Ellen Branson Garner. While serving in the Army in Washington, DC, he met Ceytru (Trudy) Bentley. They were married July 26, 1954. The couple moved to Raleigh, NC where Thomas graduated from North Carolina State University with a doctorate in Agricultural Engineering. In 1962, the family moved to Seneca, SC, where he began a 30 year career as a research and teaching professor at Clemson University in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. He was privileged to work and associate with many wonderful co-workers and students who became life-long friends. He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints serving in many leadership roles. He especially loved Scouting. Upon retirement, Thomas and Trudy served a full-time mission in Longview, Texas. Upon returning to Seneca, Mr. Garner became a church patriarch until he was granted emeritas status in 2011. Mr. Garner is survived by his wife Ceytru Bentley Garner, seven children and spouses, Charles and Laura Garner, Bluffdale, UT; Nancy and Paul Gregory, Boise, ID; Ada and Keith Wilson, Orem, UT; Harold and Shauna Garner, Filer, UT; David and Christy Garner, Bluffdale, UT; Ann and Craig Draughon, Chapel Hill, NC; and John and Kim Garner, Fairview, NC, also 37 grandchildren (one deceased), and thirty-one great grandchildren. He is survived by his brother, Wallace Garner and his wife, Ersal, of Farmer, NC as well as dear cousins, nieces, and nephews. Preceding him in death are siblings Ruth, Marion, Esther, Richard, and Edwin. Thomas loved family history; he was very respectful of his roots and loved sharing stories of his childhood and ancestors. Thomas was a farmer at heart and an engineer by craft. He spent his life gardening, tending vegetables and people. He used his creative mind to design solutions and then went to work to build them.