Longtime Kinmundy Resident Jo Garrett Dies at 90

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Jo Garrett, a 90-year-old resident of Kinmundy, Illinois, passed away on February 10, 2026 at SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon. Garrett was born in 1935 in Patoka and married Carroll "Mac" Garrett in 1956. She is survived by her husband, three children, and a cat named Lucy. Garrett was known for her caring nature, home-cooked meals, and involvement in her local Methodist church.

Why it matters

Jo Garrett's passing marks the end of an era for the tight-knit Kinmundy community, where she and her husband built their forever home and she devoted her life to caring for her family and friends. As a longtime dairy farmer's wife, Garrett embodied the values of hard work, community, and selfless service that have defined rural Illinois for generations.

The details

Garrett was a 1953 graduate of Patoka High School, where she and her sister wrote the school's fight song that is still used today. Soon after marrying her husband Carroll "Mac" Garrett in 1956, the couple built their home in rural Kinmundy, where Garrett took pride in being a dairy farmer's wife and providing a loving, nurturing home for her family. In addition to raising her three children, Garrett was known for her skills as a pie baker, quail gravy maker, and basketball fan. She was also an active member of the Wesley United Methodist Church.

• Jo Garrett was born on June 30, 1935 in Patoka, Illinois.
• Jo and Carroll "Mac" Garrett were married on August 29, 1956.
• Jo Garrett passed away on February 10, 2026 at the age of 90.