Garnet Juanita Winquest, age 90, left us to be with the Lord peacefully on March 5, 2023 with her family by her side at her home in Lima Twp., MI.
Garnet was born on December 16, 1932 in Detroit, MI to Archie and Marynell (Schade) Matthews.
In her younger years, Garnet was a social butterfly who loved getting dolled up and enjoyed dancing with her sisters. Garnet was a skilled archer who practiced competitively and was published in The Archer’s Bible written by Fred Bear. She was an accountant who worked for many firms but found her true joy serving others at Chelsea Community Hospital, where she worked for 13 years until she retired in 2007.
It was her love of her family and being with them that made her the happiest. You could always find her on the sidelines of her grandchildren’s and great grandchildren’s 4-H Horse Shows, Chelsea Fair events, Dexter Dreadnaughts Equestrian Team, years of wrestling matches, soccer and rugby games, gymnastic competitions, fashion shows, plays, and concerts. She was everyone’s grandma and lovingly known to everyone as Grandma G.
Garnet had a deep love for animals and helped take care of the family horses, lambs, goats, chickens, cats and dogs. She especially loved her granddaughter’s horse (who she bought for) Dark O Moon and dogs Trinket, Buffy, Duffy, and Charlie. In her later years, she built a beautiful bird sanctuary outside her home that is home to many birdies, as she called them, and is a beautiful tribute to her spirit. Those that know her best knew she loved the color red. If you were ever to ask her what her greatest accomplishment is she would say without pause, “My Judy!” She lived a happy life and was ready to “float on a cloud in Heaven.”
She is survived by her daughter, Judy Even of Dexter, two grandchildren, Terra (Chris) Parker and Jacob (Sarah) Even; great-grandchildren, Tyler (Madison) Even, Madison Even, Coleman Parker, and Krista (Timothy) Allen; great-great grandchildren, Colin, Nash, and ParkLynn Allen; her Goddaughter, Pamela Bennett; two sisters, Goldie Maschke and Cindy (Steve) Nickel; as well as her special caregivers, Tina and Ginny. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Marynell Matthews, her siblings, Robert F. Matthews and Gloria Feingold, brother-in-law, Ronald Maschke, and son-in-law, Raymond T. Even.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2023, 11:00 a.m., at Camp Woodbury at Nordman Lake, 1991 N. Steinbach Rd., Dexter, MI, with Pastor Larry Van Slambrook officiating. The family will receive friends in the main lodge from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Huron Valley, St. Andrews UCC, or Arbor Hospice.
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.
