George Walter Garrick, Jr.

Garrick, Jr., George Walter, 81, died on October 25, 2021, in Rutherfordton, North Carolina after battling with Covid for several weeks. George is resting after years of dedicated, faithful service to his Lord and Savior. Now he’s awaiting the call from his Heavenly King on that glorious resurrection morning. He was born to the late Margaret Kathryn Allison Garrick and George Walter Garrick on December 3, 1939 in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

George loved evangelism. This love started at an early age and continued until his death. He and his father were literature evangelists during summer months when he was a young man. He graduated from Mt. Pisgah Academy in Asheville, North Carolina and went on to Collegedale, Tennessee and studied X-ray technology. He became a successful business entrepreneur, owning two medical labs in North Carolina. He also bought and sold medical equipment.

Years went by and his lay evangelistic endeavors continued to be important in his life. He and his wife, Charlotte, helped to spread God’s word in many ways such as giving Bible studies, community concerts, and helping plant numerous churches in the North Carolina Conference. He and Charlotte were invited to help with the Bill Waters’ evangelistic team for two years and the Harmon Brownlow evangelistic team for two years. They were able to travel to Moldova in 1992 with the Brownlows after the Soviet Union fell presenting the gospel to many who had never heard the truth. Then he served with Ron Halvorson’s team for 12 years. In addition, he also worked with Mark Finley and Shawn Boonstra. George often said, “Once you feel the joy of evangelism, you will never want to do anything else.”

He served in two churches in the Arizona Conference for twelve years. During this time, he was ordained to the gospel ministry in June of 2007. In those churches, he and the Holy Spirit conducted four evangelistic meetings every year and the churches prospered. Once he retired and moved back to North Carolina, he was still very active for the Lord; as a member of the Lenoir, North Carolina SDA Church; serving as an ambassador for Adventist World Radio, conducting evangelistic meetings in several locations in western North Carolina, and regularly preaching in small multi-church districts.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte Brown Garrick; daughter, Lorie Rice; and brother, John Garrick.

Surviving is his wife, Judith Ann Smith Garrick; daughter, Vickie Klumb (Steve) of Hendersonville, North Carolina; siblings, Carolyn Landrum of Blairsville, Georgia, Mary Link (Jim) of Orangevale, California, Mareen Woodard (Warren) of Murphy, North Carolina, and Mark Garrick of Cleveland, Tennessee; grandchildren, Sheflon Clay and Dylan Moody, both of Asheville, North Carolina; stepchildren, Renata Ballard of Loma Linda, California, and Paula Howerton; and five step grandchildren.