Eric Garwood

Eric Lynn Garwood was born in O'Neill, Neb. and was Baptized and confirmed in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Atkinson, Neb. He was raised 35 miles south of Atkinson, on a ranch by Swan Lake. Eric attended grammar school at the number 246 country school which was located in his home and his teacher was his mother. He started his high school days in Atkinson, Neb. and graduated from Curtis Nebraska which is a division of the University of Nebraska. Eric was a state champion wrestler his junior and senior years of high school. He attended one year at the University of Nebraska. He enjoyed riding horses and hunting in the beauty of the wide open spaces of Nebraska. Eric married Barbra Clay Jan. 1, 1964. Three children were born to this union and they were later divorced. Eric then married Joyce Newman Aug. 1, 1970. He and Joyce had one child. Joyce and his daughter Lisa were killed in a car/train accident Aug. 11, 1972 in Brule, Neb. Eric married Sally O'Brien Dec. 31, 1973 and had three children. Eric and Sally also adopted a granddaughter. Eric and family moved to Jeffery City in August of 1979 where he worked as a mechanic at the Jeffrey City uranium mine. Later he and his family moved to Red Desert where he worked at Black Butte Coal as a mechanic for 14 years and ran crew 4 for many years. In 1991 he and his family moved to Wamsutter. Eric and Sally purchased Solo Oil/Sagebrush motel in 1993. He was the proprietor of this business for 25 years. Many Rummy games were won and lost during conversation of tractors, guns, politics and vehicles. Memorial services for Eric Garwood will be held at the Wamsutter Baptist Church at 2:00 p.m. on May 21 with Pastor Dean Switzer officiating. There will also be a memorial service for Eric at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atkinson, Neb. at 2:00 p.m. on July 16, 2016. Eric was preceded in death by his parents, Blaine and Viola (Harley) Garwood; maternal and paternal grandparents; wife and daughter, Joyce (Newman) Garwood and Lisa Garwood; and a brother, Mike Newman. Eric is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sally Garwood; daughters, Melinda Sala, Melissa Hair, Robin McDaniel and Shannon Troxell; daughters and sons-in-law, Sara and Wayne Lowe and Deserai and Disch Dischner; son, Matt Garwood; 20 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Richard McConnell; brothers and sisters-in-law, Dean and Berdien Garwood, Dave and Marietta Garwood and Evert and Bonnie Garwood. Eric will be missed by family and many friends.