James "Jimmy" Essers Garr 1934 - 2014

GARR, EVANS, FULTON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/8/2014 at 11:47:41

Sioux City Journal
9 February 2014

SIOUX CITY | James "Jimmy" Essers Garr, 79, formerly of Sioux City, passed away Jan. 24, 2014, at his home in San Marcos, Calif., following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Services are pending with Accu-care Crematory in Carlsbad, Calif.

James was born March 3, 1934, in Houston, Texas, to Gus and Mary (Evans) Garr. He attended Phyllis Wheatley High School in Houston's Fifth Ward District. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.

He was stationed at the air base in Sioux City, where he met Alyce Marie Fulton. They married June 6, 1955, in Worthington, Minn.

He was deployed to Tachikawa, Japan, soon after, residing there for three years. James was a Golden Gloves boxer while in the military during the Korean War.

He returned to Sioux City in 1959 and worked as a manager for Brazier Company. The family relocated to Los Angeles on Aug. 20, 1960. James went into business with Dwight Stanley Long operating a jewelry shop in Anaheim's Disneyland. While partnered with Dwight, James was involved in various types of maritime work where he often worked on the Pacific Ocean assisting with water vessels. James owned and operated Garr Moving Company. He was employed at Nice Jewish Boy Moving and Storage, and was a military transport driver for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Survivors include his longtime companion, Kristen (Mucciante) Garr of San Marcos; sons, Tod Garr of Sioux City, Randall Garr of Le Mars, Iowa, Trent Garr of Sioux City, Robin Garr of Henderson, Nev., James (April Harmon) Garr of Oceanside, Calif., and Peter Mucciante of San Marcos; daughters, Renelle (Michael) Arndt of Sioux City, Tracy (Nick) Determan of West Point, N.Y., Rachelle (Luther) McFarland of Bradenton, Fla., Lara Doronzo, Leslie (Robert) Roche, and Susan (Mike) Chapman, all of Oceanside, and Jill (Bill) Tisdale of Fallbrook, Calif.; grandchildren, Andrew (Cara) Garr, Jeffrey Garr, Heather Tott, Aaron and Brianna Garr, Tareja Garr-Oien, Ryan, TaNaya, Cole, Rani, Tara, and Niklas Arndt, Trice and Ecyla Determan, Brooke Lewis-Garr, Lauren, Hannah and Landon McFarland, David Garr-Peel, Jasmin Garr, Rochelle Roche, Nicolas Doronzo, Natalie (Curtis) Galleisky, April (Donato) Oregon, Lucinda (Dale) Bringhurst, and Bridgett and Timmy Chapman; 20 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and extended family of the heart, Robert and Virgie Agricola of Vista, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gus Garr; his mother, Mary (Garr) Smith; wife, Alyce Garr; five brothers, Leon, Johnnie, James, Marvin and Gus Garr Jr.; and two sisters, Lillie Mae Bedford and Jeannette Garr.