- Date Of Birth: August 15, 1933
- Date Of Death: October 5, 2012
- State: Colorado
Elmer Jesse Garner was born on August 15, 1933 and passed away quietly in his sleep on October 5, 2012 at his home in Canon City, Colorado. He was born in Trinidad, Colorado to Helen E. Chesbro and Jesse S. Garner. He had one brother, Harold. He was raised on a ranch in Southern Colorado and continued to enjoy the cowboy lifestyle throughout his life. As a young man he rode the rodeo circuit with both bareback and saddle broncs. He was an avid reader of Louis L’amour novels. In 1951, Elmer joined the Marines and served for three years at Camp Pendleton, California and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He also served in Japan during the Korean War. He was member of the VFW. On March 23, 1952, Elmer married Beverly Jean Hollingsworth in Raton, New Mexico. They had recently celebrated their 60th anniversary. They had four children. In 1967, they moved to Canon City where all of their children graduated from Canon City High School. They also raised a niece and nephew, Jeanne and Bud (Andrea) Connor for several years and raised two of their grandchildren, Brandi and L.J. (Melanie) Garner. After 50 years of working power line construction as a heavy equipment and crane operator, Elmer retired from Local Union 111. He worked all over the western, mid-western, and southern states during his career. He set high power line towers throughout the country including across the Mississippi River, between Memphis Tennessee and Western Memphis Arkansas. Elmer is survived by his wife, Beverly; and his four children, Carol (Keith) Capps, Larry (Alta) Garner, Kelly (Dawn) Garner, and JoLea Johnson. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Elmer’s brother and his parents have preceded him in death along with brother-in-law Bud Hollingsworth and sister-in-law Shirley Frost. Other surviving relatives are sister-in-law Lois; niece Robin Garner; brothers-in-law B.T. Frost, Rodger (Pat), Sam (Anna), Terry (Cynthia) Hollingsworth; and sister-in-law Sandy (Tom) Espinoza.
