Obituaries

May 6, 1928 to December 23, 2019

COLUMBUS - Mary Louise Andrews Garten, 91, died at 8:07 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at Four Seasons Retirement Center, Columbus.

She was born May 6, 1928 to Finnis (Andy) and Madge Puckett Andrews in Lafayette. She graduated from Shelbyville High School in May 1946. After graduation she worked at Indiana Bell Telephone Company. She married William (Bill) L. Garten on Oct. 3, 1946 in the West Street Methodist Church in Shelbyville by the Rev. Albert J. Spaulding.

Survivors include a son, William Allen (Jennifer Meyer) Garten, of Francesville, and a great-granddaughter, Jaina Jade Garten of Russiaville. Also surviving are sisters and brother-in-law, Linda (Ronald) Fourman of Columbus, Sarah Sue Andrews of Columbus; a sister-in-law, Mary Alice Cord Andrews of Shelbyville; and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and -nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Bill Garten, on Dec. 10, 2005; brothers, William and David Andrews, both of Shelbyville, and Rev. Robert E. Andrews of Bethesda, MD; sisters, Barbara Andrews Jackley of Omaha, Neb. and Carolyn Andrews Cruz of Columbus; a granddaughter, Ashley Nicole Garten and a grandson, Jeffrey Andrew Garten.

Mrs. Garten was employed by Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company upon moving to Columbus with her husband and son in 1952. In 1961, she became a legal secretary to Joseph S. Thompson, attorney-at-law, until 1970 when she began employment as a secretary for BSCS, retiring in 1987. While working at IUBT, Mrs. Garten attended classes at Indiana Business College. She was a member of Phi Beta Psi Social Society, American Business Women and the Elk’s Club of Columbus, a volunteer Book Buddy at Richards School, and a former Columbus Regional Hospital volunteer. In April 2013, she moved to Four Seasons Retirement Home in Columbus. While living there she became involved in different activities. Included was secretary to the resident council; hall representative to the council; chairperson of the dining committee; in January 2014, she was coordinator for a program called “Story Time”; and also was a member of the Book Club at Four Seasons. Mrs. Garten traveled to Hawaii, Bahamas, Alaska and St. George Island, FL. She enjoyed playing Hand and Foot cards with friends, with whom she enjoyed many laughs and good times. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Columbus.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 27, at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home., Columbus. A celebration of life service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, at Four Seasons Retirement Center Chapel, 1901 Taylor Road, Columbus, with Rev. Jon Carlstrom conducting the service and music will be provided by David Brown. Private inurnment will be at Garland Brook Cemetery Mausoleum at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Garten requested memorial donations go to Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Diabetes Disease Foundation or American Cancer Society.