In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Underwood and Loranzo F. Smathers and three sisters, Opal Wilson, Lucy Norris, and Esther Roberts. He was a US Army veteran of World War II and served in the 3rd Army Tank Destroyer Division in Normandy. He received his BA degree in Chemistry and Educational Psychology from UNCA and Furman University, his MA degree in Bioecology and Educational Psychology from Western Carolina University and his PhD degree in Botanical Sciences and Terrestrial Ecology from the University of Hawaii.
He was a principal, teacher, and coach at Bethel High School and he also instructed chemistry at Asheville Biltmore Junior College. He worked full time as a naturalist for the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Lava Beds National Monument in California, and the National Parks in Hawaii. During his career, Garrett held the positions of regional, chief, and senior scientist for the National Park Services, National Space Technology Laboratories, and Science Centers in Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Mississippi, and Seattle, Washington. He also served as an ecological instructor at the Grand Canyon and a research biologist and supervisory naturalist at the University of Hawaii and lastly taught Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Ecology in the Buncombe County School System.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia H. Smathers; two sons, Eric Smathers and Mark Smathers, both of Canton; one sister, Gertrude Smathers, of Waynesville; and two grandchildren, Ashley and Dylan Smathers, of Canton.
He was a principal, teacher, and coach at Bethel High School and he also instructed chemistry at Asheville Biltmore Junior College. He worked full time as a naturalist for the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Lava Beds National Monument in California, and the National Parks in Hawaii. During his career, Garrett held the positions of regional, chief, and senior scientist for the National Park Services, National Space Technology Laboratories, and Science Centers in Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Mississippi, and Seattle, Washington. He also served as an ecological instructor at the Grand Canyon and a research biologist and supervisory naturalist at the University of Hawaii and lastly taught Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Ecology in the Buncombe County School System.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia H. Smathers; two sons, Eric Smathers and Mark Smathers, both of Canton; one sister, Gertrude Smathers, of Waynesville; and two grandchildren, Ashley and Dylan Smathers, of Canton.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Underwood and Loranzo F. Smathers and three sisters, Opal Wilson, Lucy Norris, and Esther Roberts. He was a US Army veteran of World War II and served in the 3rd Army Tank Destroyer Division in Normandy. He received his BA degree in Chemistry and Educational Psychology from UNCA and Furman University, his MA degree in Bioecology and Educational Psychology from Western Carolina University and his PhD degree in Botanical Sciences and Terrestrial Ecology from the University of Hawaii.
He was a principal, teacher, and coach at Bethel High School and he also instructed chemistry at Asheville Biltmore Junior College. He worked full time as a naturalist for the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Lava Beds National Monument in California, and the National Parks in Hawaii. During his career, Garrett held the positions of regional, chief, and senior scientist for the National Park Services, National Space Technology Laboratories, and Science Centers in Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Mississippi, and Seattle, Washington. He also served as an ecological instructor at the Grand Canyon and a research biologist and supervisory naturalist at the University of Hawaii and lastly taught Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Ecology in the Buncombe County School System.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia H. Smathers; two sons, Eric Smathers and Mark Smathers, both of Canton; one sister, Gertrude Smathers, of Waynesville; and two grandchildren, Ashley and Dylan Smathers, of Canton.
He was a principal, teacher, and coach at Bethel High School and he also instructed chemistry at Asheville Biltmore Junior College. He worked full time as a naturalist for the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Lava Beds National Monument in California, and the National Parks in Hawaii. During his career, Garrett held the positions of regional, chief, and senior scientist for the National Park Services, National Space Technology Laboratories, and Science Centers in Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Mississippi, and Seattle, Washington. He also served as an ecological instructor at the Grand Canyon and a research biologist and supervisory naturalist at the University of Hawaii and lastly taught Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Ecology in the Buncombe County School System.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia H. Smathers; two sons, Eric Smathers and Mark Smathers, both of Canton; one sister, Gertrude Smathers, of Waynesville; and two grandchildren, Ashley and Dylan Smathers, of Canton.
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