James "Joe" Lafayette Garner

Joe was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 1, 1936. He went home to Jesus in Nashville, Tennessee on October 22, 2021.

Joe Graduated from South High in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1955. He then joined the United States Air Force as an Instructor/Instrument Mechanic in 1955. He was in the Air Force until 1963. He then went to work for the Department of Energy in 1963 and retired in 1983. He worked for other power companies, owned the Maverick House Restaurant in Noxon, Montana, and was the road manager for the Liberian Acapella Group.

Joe loved to travel, swim, play dominoes, eat popcorn, spend time with family and friends, and he never missed a U.T. football game.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents George Garner and Margie Yates, wives Constance Thompson, Barbara Garner, and Charlotte Garner, daughter, Cathy Larson, sons-in-law, DeLyle Larson and Mark Exline, and daughter-in-law, Jill Fink.

He is survived by his wife Mary Garner, children Janet (Bruce) Schlief, Glenda (Jim Largent) Wolverton, James (Linda) Garner, Philip (Mindee) Wolverton, Cathy Branam, Glen Wolverton, Alice (David) Turbeville, Lewis Garner and Cheryl Wolverton, fourteen grandkids, fourteen great grandkids, siblings, Kristina Yates and Bobby (Susan) Garner, and Foreign Exchange Student, Jan Jirikousky.