Anne Martin Garrett, 85, of Danville, passed away at Roman Eagle Nursing Home, where she had been a resident for the past two years. Anne was a former resident of 153 Hawthorne Drive. She was born Erys Anne Martin on June 17, 1926 to the late Jennie Houlton Martin and John William Martin, both of Danville. Anne was the wife of Danville attorney William Allan Garrett who predeceased her in 2004. They were married on September 7, 1946 at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. She is survived by four sons: Dr. William Allan Garrett, Jr. of Johnson City, TN; John Martin Garrett of Ringgold, VA; Jack Walton Garrett, II , and Joseph Marshall Garrett, both of Danville, VA; a daughter, Jenny Garrett Davis of Weaversville, NC; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Anne was an antiques appraiser, restorer, and dealer who ran The Garrett Antiques in Danville. She was a noted authority on North Carolina pottery, Windsor chairs, primitives and decoys. She was a consultant and provided many of the photographs for the first definitive book on early American baskets. She loved ballet and was an excellent dancer and dance instructor. Anne taught ballroom dancing for a number of years with the later Anne Garrett Penn through their studio in the Ballou Park Nature Center. Hundreds of teenagers in the 1950's and 1960's were students of theirs. She was born in Danville and educated through the public school system, meeting her husband , William Allan Garrett, in the third grade at John L. Berkley Elementary School on Grove Street. He was the love of her life and they were inseparable. Anne attended Hollins College and Averett University and was an honors graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree before marrying in 1946. She painted throughout much of her life and favored the work of the Impressionists. Anne was a devoted wife and mother and was a former member of the German Club, the Danville Golf Club, the Wednesday Club, and a life-long member of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. Anne was the bookkeeper for the Garrett and Garrett law firm for 25 years. A graveside service will be held on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 3:00 PM at Mountain View Cemetery with Reverend Michael Harris and Reverend Tim Rogers officiating.
Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street is serving the Garrett family.