The service commemorating the life of Mavis Garrett, 97, of Tracy, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026. Due to construction at the Tracy Lutheran Church, the ceremony will be held at the Tracy United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held on Saturday, one hour prior to the service, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at Tracy United Methodist Church. A private family interment will be held at a later date.
Mavis passed away peacefully on July 17, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family at Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy, MN.
Born on November 13, 1928, in Gary, Minnesota, Mavis was the daughter of Marcus and Bertha Gunderson. She graduated from Gary High School before attending Moorhead State College, where she earned her teaching degree and met the love of her life, John Garrett. The two eloped on December 28, 1949, beginning a remarkable marriage that lasted 66 years until John’s passing.
Together they built a loving family, welcoming their sons, Marcus in 1951 and Mykl in 1954.
Mavis dedicated 28 years to teaching kindergarten in the Tracy Public Schools, retiring in 1991. She was a beloved and highly respected educator whose patience, kindness, and encouragement touched the lives of countless young children. Even decades after leaving the classroom, former students continued to remember her fondly and speak of the lasting impact she made during their earliest school years.
Music was one of Mavis’s greatest joys. A gifted pianist, she filled her home with music throughout her life and continued playing the piano until the age of 95. She especially loved The Sound of Music, Yanni, and The Carpenters, and her extensive music collection reflected a lifelong appreciation for beautiful melodies.
Mavis was also an accomplished Bridge player, admired for both her skill and competitive spirit. Family and friends always knew they were in for a challenging game whenever Mavis sat down at the card table.
Nothing brought Mavis and John greater happiness than their summers at the family lake cabin in northern Minnesota. There they shared their love of lake life with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, creating cherished memories that will endure for generations. The friendships they developed with neighbors at the lake became lifelong relationships, with many families becoming an extension of their own across multiple generations.
Mavis is survived by her sons, Marcus (Nancy) Garrett and Mykl (Lisa) Garrett; seven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.
She will be remembered for her unwavering love of family, her dedication to education, her musical gifts, her gracious spirit, and the example she set through a life well lived. Her legacy lives on in the generations of family she cherished and in the many students whose lives she helped shape. She is now reunited with her beloved husband, John, whose love remained the great blessing of her life.
The family wishes to extend appreciation to the staff of Prairie View Senior Living for the compassionate and loving care provided to Mavis.
Memorials preferred to Tracy Lutheran Church.
Arrangements with Horvath Funeral Service Tracy, Minnesota 507.629.4510 www. horvathfuneralservice.com
