of Proctor, AR
May 13, 1947 - March 22, 2024
James Lester Garrott, Jr., 76, of Proctor, Arkansas passed away peacefully at his home on March 22, 2024. Jimmy, as he was best known, was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 13, 1947, the oldest of four children to Jim and Bobbie Lee Garrott.
Jimmy grew up in Proctor, Arkansas on the family-owned farm, N.S. Garrott & Sons. He graduated from West Memphis High School and attended the University of Arkansas before returning to the farm, where he joined his dad and uncle, Jack Garrott, in the farming industry. He excelled in the farming business for many years, growing mostly cotton and soybeans. Years later, his love for country living and wanting to garden, raise chickens and provide for his dogs, he took a leap of faith and decided to turn the non-working Cotton Gin into his home. He moved into the empty building and literally built his home around him. The outside stayed the same, but the inside was transformed into a beautiful home and museum which was featured on HGTV. He hosted many special events in ''The Gin House'' as it became known, including the opening night festivities for the Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism, wedding receptions, Delta Farm Tours, Arkansas Master Gardner's, Altrusa Christmas Home Tour and many others.
Jimmy enjoyed a wide range of hobbies. He was a master gardener and a skilled chef, producing a great bounty of vegetables, which he canned, pickled, froze and shared with all who were willing to come and harvest the crop. He had an eye for and collected fine antiques used in decorating his house and was forever on the hunt for the unusual, which he displayed in his museum collection in "The Gin". He enjoyed landscaping and reading books, evidenced by his his beautiful yard and impressive library collection. In fact, just about the only time Jimmy was sitting down was when he was reading. He was always working on something. He'd make a plan and see it through. No tasks were left undone. And he was determined to find the best restaurants in three states. However, his absolute favorite activity was spending time with his dogs over the years: Dusty, Brutus, Baby Huey, Buttons, Sinbad, Traveler and Easter, just to name a few. Where Jimmy went, so did his dogs.
Preceding Jimmy in death were his parents, James Lester and Bobbie Lee Loyd Garrott; his brother, Daniel Loyd Garrott; his grandparents, Neely Stanley and Helen Greer Garrott and John Benard and Lacy Northern Loyd and one nephew, Nathan Scott Smith.
Those left to cherish Jimmy's memory include his sisters, Nancy Garrott and Sarah Beth Christian (Don) of West Memphis, Arkansas; step-brother, Ian Garrott (Tiffany) of Memphis, Tennessee; cousins, Lucy Woodson and Peggy Peters of Memphis, Tennessee; Louise Logue of Little Rock, Arkansas, Tim Logue of Hillsboro, North Carolina , Karen ''KK'' Parker of Forrest City, Arkansas, Susan Smith (David) of Cordova, Tennessee, Rachael Cullman of Jackson, Mississippi and Helen Henson of Fort Smith, Arkansas; several nieces, nephews and other family members plus a host of friends. He will be missed and remembered with love by all.
A graveside service will take place at Crittenden Memorial Park, 2201 Hwy 64, Marion, Arkansas at 3:00 PM on April 4, 2024.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to West Memphis Animal Shelter, 500 South Loop Rd., West Memphis, AR 72301 or First Baptist Church, 200 N. Missouri St., West Memphis, AR 72301.
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16 Condolence(s)
Phil Turner
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
So Sorry to hear about Jimmy - stopped by The Gin recently but missed him. Condolences to Nancy, Sarah Beth and family.
Jim Pugh
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Jimmy Jack was an old friend, a good friend, and a dear friend. Jimmy and I grew up together in Proctor taking the school bus, riding horses and playing baseball in his front yard. I will never forget the times that Miss Bobbie Lee would take us to go fishing in the dollar hole. Mr Garret was kind enough to always take me on trips to the Sugar Bowl - which I will never forget.
May Jimmy rest in peace.
Sheila Short
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
So sorry to hear about Jimmy, my prayers are with the family
Donnie Christian
Monday, April 1, 2024
Among all the nieces and nephews, Uncle Jimmy was best known for his beloved Gin, amazing antiques and awesome cooking. I will always cherish the family gatherings we had at his place. He will certainly be missed.
jeff loeb
Monday, April 1, 2024
I'm so sorry to hear about Jimmy Garrott's death. It's been a few years since I've seen him but feels like yesterday. When Carolyn Loeb and I had stopped in Memphis to see Lucy and Peggy several years ago, they absolutely insisted that we drive over and see him and the "new" gin. And, as they knew would happen, we were wowed.
The last time I'd seen it, it was "only" a gin and I was working in and around it helping to get out the Garrotts' harvest(s) way back in the mid-'70s (and about to be married to his cousin Dorothy Garrott). Then, of course, it had been a loud, dirty, enormously busy place. Jimmy broke me in quick, sending me clambering up top of the cotton wagons to guide the "suck" [look that one up if you need to], and dollying the 500-pound bales across the yard by hand. I must have worked out because Jimmy "promoted" me a week or two later, and I spent the rest of harvest driving an enormous Kubota tractor back and forth across the never-ending fields subsoiling them for the following years' planting. I think they let me off to get married to Dorothy about two days beforehand.
Skip to the 2000s: The farmland had mostly been sold, and Jimmy had not just resurrected the gin but made it into a de-facto museum with features going back into the nineteenth century (and fortunately he didn't seem to keep around any of the dreaded cotton dollies). Carolyn and I had a great afternoon visit with him and we headed back to KC.
I've thought about that visit a lot though, and mainly Jimmy himself. What he really was, was a scholar at his center--a kind of museum director to be honest. I'm not just talking about the gin museum now, but rather the breadth and depth of his knowledge of things in general. Obviously, he knew farming, but there was another dimension to him that was always waiting to emerge. This happened in conversations, of course, but it went beyond just that. He read, and he read, and he read, more than anyone else I think I've known. So, it's a deep and ironic occasion--he'd grin at it, I'm sure--that his passing facilitates thoughts of irony and erudition for me. Safe travels, Jimmy.
Lester Sells
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Sorry to hear about the loss of your brother and praying you will be given the courage you will need in the future.
Renita & Foster Rash
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Our condolences to Sara & Nancy.
May God watch over and bless this family.
Aida Pitts
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
My thoughts, my prayers be with you. My prayers always be with you. My family, your family and your friends always love you.
My memories Jimmy. Always be with me.I love you always
Teresa McCain
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Nancy and Sarah Beth,
I’m so sorry to learn of the passing of your brother. Brothers are so special because they see life so differently in so many ways.
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time and I pray for God’s comfort and peace in the days to come. May God bless you and all the family.
Argie Moudy
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Prayers to your precious family Jimmy was so talented and could give such wonderful parties and to see how he used his talents such fun to go to his place
Andy Luttrell
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Prayers for Jimmy and the Garrott family,
Love and respect to the Garrott,
Andy Luttrell
Herb Hyman
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Jimmy was a renaissance man. Mika and I thought and respected his knowledge of plants, animals, and literature. We knew him forever. He had wonderful Christmas parties. In 1978 he had a Christmas party we went to. It resulted in Mika going into labor the Next day!! Baby Georgia Christine Hyman has been partying ever since!! Love to Nancy, Sara Beth and all the friends he left behind. I know Jimmy is living his best life in Heaven. Blessings
clifford gatewood
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Ronnie jackson
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Goodbye Jimmy
Mike and Donna kane
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Rip jimmy’. Thoughts and prayers for your family and close friends
Gene and Dawn Lehr
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Jimmy will be missed. He and Gene had a nearly lifetime friendship. He was such a caring friend, to us both. Prayers and thoughts for his sisters Sarah Beth, Nancy and other family members.