Mansfield (Gary) White Garratt
July 1, 1947-Nov. 21, 2011
San Martin, California

Mansfield (Gary) White Garratt III died Monday, November 21st, 2011 at his home in San Martin, CA surrounded by his family. He was 64 years old and died from the progression of brain cancer.

Gary was born July 1, 1947 in Oakland, CA to Mansfield and Phyllis (Lindholm) Garratt Jr. After a short time living in Walnut Creek, Gary spent his childhood in San Mateo. He loved to build things and take them apart with his brothers Peter and Robert. He attended Highlands Elementary School and Borel Middle School before leaving to New Hampshire to attend high school at Holderness School. While at Holderness, Gary developed a passion for hockey and excelled on the school?s team. It was a passion he carried with him all his life, continuing to play in competitive leagues until age 63.

Gary graduated from the University of Denver in 1970 with a BA in Economics. While there he helped start the lacrosse program and was the team?s leading scorer in 1966.

After college Gary was a successful homebuilder and wheat farmer in Steamboat Springs, CO. He was an innovator in fertilization and crop placement and within a few years had the highest yielding crops in the area. He met his wife, Elizabeth (Betsy) Hobson, while in Colorado and they were married March 24, 1973 in Cincinnati, OH. Gary and Betsy had two children in Steamboat Springs. Tyler was born in 1975 and Jenny in 1978.

Gary brought his family back to the Bay Area in 1978 to help run Garratt-Callahan Co. (water treatment), a business his great grandfather founded in 1904. Gary?s responsibilities at Garratt-Callahan included serving as Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board of Directors upon his retirement. He enjoyed working alongside his father, Mansfield Jr., his uncles, Bill and Dick, and his cousins, Jeff and Matt. Gary and his family settled in Woodside where he lived for 20 years. Gary constructed his family?s home, became more interested in building and flying airplanes and enjoyed family vacations skiing, river rafting, creek walking and surfing.

Upon retiring from Garratt-Callahan and after the end of his marriage, Gary moved to San Martin, CA to live one mile from the San Martin (South County) Airport. He built a workshop larger than his house to build airplanes and do any manner of construction, welding and go-cart repair. He volunteered at the Wings of History Air Museum helping restore vintage planes. He especially enjoyed introducing children to aviation by taking them for a ride in his plane. His crowning achievement was a Lancair IV P that he built from start to finish.

Gary was an active entrepreneur throughout his life focusing on hydro-electric and methane power plants. He started and ran three of these environmentally friendly projects.

Gary was known as a daredevil who enjoyed helicopter skiing, skydiving, motorcycle riding across the U.S., Europe, and Baja, Mexico. He had a laid back, but adventurous spirit. Gary made people feel comfortable around him and always had a big smile for everybody. He participated in many activities, but his favorite was telling stories with friends and family.

He is survived by his children: Tyler (wife Monika) Garratt, and Jenny (husband Brian) Hayden; grandchildren: Cole Garratt, Carter and Caitlin Hayden; his mother, Phyllis; brothers: Peter and Robert, and special friend Mary Ellen Carlin.