George Washington Garlick

Blue Earth George Washington Garlick, age 89, of Blue Earth, died Thursday morning, August 4, 2016, at St. Lukes Lutheran Care Center in Blue Earth following a battle with cancer. Services will take place at Patton Funeral Home, 400 E. 14th St. in Blue Earth. The visitation service will be held Sunday, August 7th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The memorial service will be held Monday, August 8th beginning at 11:00 AM, with lunch to follow. The service will be officiated by Allen Burnham, former minister of Horicon Church of Christ, Truman. George was born November 9, 1926, on a farm near Winnebago, the son of Roscoe and Gertrude (Griffith) Garlick. In March of 1936, when he was 9 years old, during the family move to Pleasant Prairie Township, near Fairmont, his father had him drive the team of horses. He graduated from Fairmont High School in 1944. In 1945 he joined the United States Army, serving his country during WWII. His tour of duty was in Japan until he was honorably discharged in 1946. Upon his return home he used his savings to purchase a new B John Deere tractor to help his father on the family farm which was still being farmed with horses. He also mowed peas for the Fairmont Canning Company for several seasons. Early on he acquired an interest in carpentry. His first table saw, made by purchasing a skil saw and mounting it under his mother''s kitchen table, was used to build furniture for his beloved mother. On June 13, 1954, he married Bonnie June Jensen, on her 23rd birthday, at Horicon Church of Christ near Truman. They made their first home outside of Northrop and later moved to Fairmont where George worked for several carpentry companies before starting his own carpentry business in 1958. March 9, 1970 George and Bonnie purchased a water treatment business in Blue Earth which he later renamed "Garlick''s Water Conditioning" and Blue Earth has been their home ever since. The career change came about due to a back injury which prevented George from continuing in the construction field. He remained active in the family run water business for 46 years up until January 15, 2016. During these years George and Bonnie were blessed with four children, Marilyn, Douglas, Julie, and Jonathan. George is survived by his wife of 62 years, Bonnie June (Jensen) Garlick of Blue Earth; daughter, Marilyn (Marvin) Oswald of Blue Earth; son, Douglas (Susan) Garlick of Blue Earth; daughter, Julie (Ted) McKinney of Eagan; son, Jonathan Garlick of Faribault; sister, Arlene Ellis of Iowa City; sister, Dorothy Saxton of Fairmont; brother, Oliver (Joyce) Garlick of Fairmont; eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, half-brother, Harold Griffith, and infant granddaughter, Naomi June McKinney.Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com.