Laurie Garner

ELOY - Laurie Kathleen Garner, 68, of Eloy died on Aug. 8, 2014, at Hospice of the Valley Friendship Village in Tempe.

The celebration of life will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel in Casa Grande, with Ron Entzminger officiating.

Mrs. Garner was born on Feb. 15, 1946, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and was a daughter of Archie and Isabel McEachern. Much loved by her parents, she attended high school and graduated from University of British Columbia. She loved horses and sports as a young girl. She showed horses with her father and inherited a great love of cooking from her mother. A homemaker, she spent most of her adult life in the United States with her loving husband, Joe Garner.

She had a passion for the history of china, glassware and furniture that first developed during a high school graduation trip to Europe. She was touched by the beauty of hand-blown glassware. Through her many world travels with Joe, she developed a passion, knowledge and interest that sustained her throughout life. For a number of years, they owned a classic antique shop in Illinois.

She lived her life with grace, generosity and love for her family, friends and animals and had a deep respect for all that is beautiful in nature and in life. Her grace during her extended illness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was an inspiration.

In addition to her husband, survivors include four sons, Troy Garner of Longmont, Colorado, Gregory Garner of Tucson, Braden Matter of Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, and Christian Matter of Rossland, British Columbia; a brother, Donald McEachern of Fairfield, California; a sister, Maggie McEachern-Tchir of Nelson, British Columbia; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to: ALS Association of Arizona, 360 E. Coronado Road, Suite 140, Phoenix, AZ 85004, or Valley Humane Society, P.O. Box 10480, Casa Grande, AZ 85130.