Richard Earl Garbett

Birth Date
On 1916 September 8 (Born)
Death Date
On 1987 October 29 (Died)
Gender
Male

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah

1916 September 8
Mother
Olive Williams
Father
Arthur Lamph Garbett

Date Details

Occurred On 1916 September 8

Baptized by Alton A Wheeler

1925 December 13 (Age 9)

Served in Netherlands Mission

1939 March 26 – September 16 (Age 22) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Missionary Activity Notes

Elder Garbett, along with other Netherlands missionaries received word on September 16, 1939 that they would be going back to the United States due to the possibility of war. They were moved to Rotterdam, where they spent three weeks waiting for a ship from the United States. They finally set sail on September 26th on the S.S Pennland. They were on the water thirteen days, traveling only during daylight hours and dropping anchor at night. Coming through the English Channel, they were escorted by planes in the air, and an English Skipper in the water, because the channel was planted with mines. While waiting in Rotterdam, Elder Garbett had met two boys from the United States. These boys were sailing back to the U.S. at the same time that the missionaries were, but they were sailing on a freighter which struck a mine, and was blown up. Luckily, a life boat broke loose from their ship before it went down, and twenty-four of the forty-eight passengers survived. These two boys were rescued by the ship that Elder Garbett was on, and the only thing they saved was the clothes on their backs. In his own words, Elder Garbett said, "We are sailing back to the United States with faith in God that we might be spared from striking a mine or an enemy submarine or something." "Finally, with the help of the Lord, we made it back to the New York Harbor." He spent three days in New York, and from there was assigned to the East Central States Mission, under President William T. Tew.

Priesthood Office
Seventy
Residence When Called
Nephi Center Juab
Set Apart By
Geo Albert Smith

Date Details

Started On 1939 March 26
Called
Ended On 1939 September 16
Departed from Field

Served in East Central States Mission

1939 September 6 – 1940 November 6 (Age 22) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Missionary Activity Notes

He was transferred from the Netherlands Mission to the East Central States Mission when World War Two broke out in 1940. He completed his mission in the East Central States. He served in Goldsboro, North Carolina for eight months, and was then sent to Raleigh. While speaking in church one Sunday in Raleigh, his appendix ruptured and  he collapsed. It took three days to notify everyone before surgery could be done, and as a result, gangrene set in. He spent 21 days in the hospital. When he was well enough to travel, he was sent to Roanoke, Virginia, and then later to Louisville, Kentucky. In the meantime, he was still struggling with related health issues, and was under a doctor's care, who recommended that he be sent to the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake for observation. It was at this point that he was officially released from his mission.

Priesthood Office
Seventy
Residence When Called
Transferred from the Netherlands Mission
Location Served
Goldsboro North Carolina, Roanoke, Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky

Date Details

Started On 1939 September 6
Called
Ended On 1940 November 6
Released

Married Vernona Mendenhall

1941 January 7 (Age 24)

Died

1987 October 29 (Age 71)
Media
Richard Earl Garbett (1916 - 1987) Profile
Richard Earl Garbett (1916 - 1987) Profile

Sources