Barbara Garrett

Taylor Funeral Home of Louisville announces the death and funeral services of Barbara Ann ("Bebe") Jones Garrett who entered peacefully into joy on April 9, 2026, in Augusta, Georgia after becoming ill several weeks prior. Having been born in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 29, 1937, she proudly turned 89 earlier this year.

Graveside services will be held at 11:30 AM on Tuesday April 14, 2026, in the Louisville City Cemetery with Rev. Tim Pendrey officiating followed by a gathering to honor her life at Providence Baptist Church loacated at 13778 GA Highway 88 W Avera, GA.

Bebe is survived by her son, Robert Andrew “Andy” Garrett of Grange, her daughter, Melissa Garrett Burns (Alan) of Charlotte, NC, her three sisters, Jayne J. Friend of Atlanta, Sandra J. McAlister of Grange, and Ginger C. Jones of Atlanta, her brother, John Amos “Spike” Jones, III, (Phyllis) of Kennesaw, her five grandchildren, Matthew Hunter Daves Garrett (Morgan), Madison Andrew Garrett, Spencer Jones Garrett (Ashton), Audrey Garrett Straus (Ken), Lauren Burns Byrne (Thomas), four great grandchildren, and an extended family of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Bebe cherished her children and their families above all else. Nothing was more meaningful to her than a visit, phone call or text message from her family. She was devoted to her children, grandchildren and their families and if any of them ever had a need, Bebe did all that she could to meet it. She said more than once that she loved her children more than life itself.

Bebe was the oldest of five children born to her beloved parents John Amos Jones and Mattie Mae Raley Jones. When she was young, Bebe spent a great deal of time in the company of her maternal grandparents John Frank Raley and Mattie Belle Black Raley and their large family, counting her Raley aunts, uncles, cousins and her own four siblings as her closest lifelong friends.

Bebe attended Providence Baptist Church and was baptized in the Rocky Comfort Creek. Around the age of 10, Bebe started helping her father out in his general store at the Grange crossroads, often describing herself as having "grown up in the store." She undertook all manner of jobs including pumping gas, driving, cleaning and restocking, tallying up the amounts due for groceries and merchandise and making change for customers. The impressive arithmetic skills she developed during those years remained so strong that she continued to be able to instantaneously calculate change in her head even within weeks of her final illness.

Bebe began school in Grange and continued in Avera before attending Louisville Academy, graduating in 1954. She completed one year at Milledgeville College before heading to Atlanta where she started her first job at Western Electric. While in Atlanta, she saw Elvis Presley perform live at the Fox Theatre.

Following marriage and the birth of her two children, Bebe spent her next approximate 15 years as a devoted stay at home mother, reading to her children daily for hours on end and making sure that they knew everyone in her large family. When Andy and Melissa started school, each year Bebe served as a devoted room mother or team mom, making time to attend every game, meet, performance or other event in the lives of her children. When her children entered high school, she rejoined the paid workforce, becoming the secretary to the assistant principal at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia where her children were in attendance. She later worked in executive secretary roles at several companies in Atlanta, eventually joining Jefferson EMC in Louisville until her retirement.

Bebe enjoyed a high degree of executive function throughout her life and sought to be self-sufficient in everything she did. She was a fiercely independent-minded person who preferred to make her own decisions and rarely felt the need to seek the influence or assistance of others unless she felt it was absolutely necessary. Bebe was strong, resilient, resourceful, persistent, and determined.

Technology and information systems captivated Bebe, and despite having attended only one year of college, due to her curiosity, intellect, and sheer persistence, over time she became a self-taught computer technician, rising to become the Management Information Systems (MIS) Director of Jefferson EMC. “Go ask Barbara” was a phrase often heard around the EMC office. She loved the invention of the computer, the Internet, the iPad and the iPhone. Right up until her last weeks, she frequently sent and received daily text messages, initiated FaceTime calls, and made full use of the Internet to track down whatever information she felt she needed to have.

Bebe was adept at repairing things and knew her way around a toolbox, delighted to tackle minor plumbing, electrical and carpentry projects around the house. She enjoyed weighing in with the professionals whenever they came to her home to take on a task that she felt was beyond her ability. Bebe was as expert at hanging wallpaper as she was at baking her annual Christmas fruit cakes. She felt a lifelong compulsion to frequently rearrange the furniture in her home without asking for anyone's help.

Bebe loved to fish, enjoyed being out in nature, knew the songs and habits of most wild birds, and developed an excellent mourning dove call.

Bebe was a great storyteller and enjoyed recounting stories of her youthful adventures with her large circle of cousins and siblings as well as retelling stories of time spent with her beloved maternal grandmother. Bebe had a great sense of humor and could find something amusing in nearly every situation. Several months before she died, she went to a doctor's appointment where the nurse chided her for having a higher than desirable blood pressure of 155. While walking down the hall to the next exam room, Bebe said "well there are a lot of people out there in the cemetery that would love to have a blood pressure of 155!"

For the last seven months Bebe resided in the assisted living wing of the Barclay House of Augusta. She had previously lived in Louisville, Atlanta, Avera, Charlotte, Marietta, Jacksonville, and Miami.

Tender-hearted, Bebe laughed easily, possessed a quick wit, was a great conversationalist, and a lifelong avid reader. Now with The Lord, she is dearly missed and her attributes and accomplishments will remain an inspiration to her family..

You may sign the family’s guestbook at www.taylorfhlouisville.com

Taylor Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Louisville is in charge of arrangements.