Gordon M. Garnett, MD

Gordon M. Garnett, M.D., age 86, passed away peacefully at the family home he and his wife built in 1954, on December 13, 2009 surrounded by his loving wife and children. Gordon was born February 4, 1923 in Adelaide, Australia to Arthur Campbell Garnett and Margaret Elsie Martin Garnett. He lived in Adelaide, Australia; Indianapolis, IN; Edinburgh, Scotland; Melbourne, Australia; and Lexington, KY before coming to Madison, WI in 1937 at the age of 14. Shortly after his arrival to Madison he met the love of his life Jeanne Marie Swan, daughter of Rev. Alfred W. and Eva C. Swan. They were married on July 7, 1945. They would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this coming summer. Gordon graduated from Madison West High School in 1940, before attending the University of Wisconsin (1940 to 1946). He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and entered the Army ASTP medical training program at the University of Wisconsin, receiving his M.D. in 1946.  He was a member of the academic honor fraternity Phi Beta Kappa and the honorary medical fraternity, Alpha Omega Alpha. After his internship in Los Angeles, he entered the Army Air Corps for two years. He served as an anesthesiologist and radiologist at Fairfield-Suisen Airbase near San Francisco (now Travis AFB).   In 1949, he returned for his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Wisconsin. He practiced at Madison General, St. Mary's and University Hospitals.  In 1961, he went into solo practice at Methodist Hospital until his retirement in 1988.  He was an Assistant Clinical Professor for the UW Medical School for 40 years, enthusiastically teaching medical students and residents the science and art of practicing medicine. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists for 10 years.   Upon retirement after 37 years of practice, Gordon and Jeanne built their retirement home in Machias, Maine with the help of friends and family. They spent their summers there enjoying the ocean he loved so much as a child in Australia. He was a dedicated physician who cared for the physical and emotional needs of his patients and their families; visiting his patients both before surgery, to answer their questions and concerns, and afterwards to make sure they were progressing properly. Although dedicated to his profession, his family was first and foremost in his life -- always coming home to have family dinner together even though it meant having to return to the hospital to see his patients later in the evening. He took great pride in the craftsmanship of those things he made with his own hands; whether vacation homes, furniture, fishing flies, or the intricate, HO model engines made from tin cans, he always attended to every detail. He loved to garden and raised Dahlias since 1951, receiving numerous awards for his blooms and cultivating many new varieties, including ""Roque Starburst"", voted best new variety in 2008 by the American Dahlia Society.  He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and was an active member of PLATO, the Madison Literary Club and the History Roundtable. A world traveler, he was more interested in the people and their culture, than the major sites. He was a Charter member of Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ in 1955, served as moderator and was an active member on church committees. He felt strongly that the role of the church was to serve the wider community. Among the many gifts he gave to his children was the importance of family, importance of knowledge and that with perseverance we could do anything we put our mind to. He surrounded his children with wonderful friends and role-models. Family vacations centered on his love for the peace and serenity of the beautiful outdoors -- backpacking, camping, canoeing, and fishing. He always took the time to make each experience a learning opportunity. He is survived by his wife Jeanne; his eight children, Gregory (Cynthia), Oxford OH, Barbara Folco (Mark), McFarland, WI, James (Kathleen Steiner), Madison, WI, Harold (Kathleen), Prior Lake, MN, Elizabeth Garnett, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands,   Virginia Wintersteen, LaCrosse, WI, Charles (Pamela), Cross Plains, WI, and John (Mary Louise), Madison, WI; his 21 grandchildren, Matthew, Emile, Carolyn, Nathaniel, Scott, Simone, Andrew, Eric, Jenna, Eva, Brian, Mitchell , Kielty, Colin, Bradley, Joseph, Reid, Rachel, Greta, Evan, and Christina; and his 10 great-grandchildren, Giovanni, Timothy, Lucas, Giada, Britte, Milla, Emily, Daniel, Marijn and the newest due any day. He was preceded in death by his parents, Professor Arthur Campbell Garnett and Margaret Elsie Martin Garnett and his brother, Francis Campbell Garnett. The family would like to thank the wonderful physicians, nurses, staff and caregivers at Meriter, HospiceCare, and BrightStar for their compassion and dedication.  A visitation will be held  from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Rd., Madison, WI.  A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held at 1:30 pm on Sunday, December 20, 2009 at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, 1501 Gilbert Rd., Madison, WI.   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, Olbrich Gardens, or the Department of Anesthesiology at the    University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. A private family burial is planned. Each Christmas morning our family was awakened by the reverberating sound of Dad's favorite recording of Scottish Bagpipes, followed by Joy to the World ringing out for all to hear. Christmas was a celebration of his love, faith, and family. We will celebrate his love and life each holiday season.
                                                                      A family
                                                            is a circle of strength
                                                         and love. With every birth
                                                    and every union, the circle grows.
                                                    Every joy shared adds more love.
                                                         Every crisis faced together
                                                                makes the circle
                                                                     stronger.