Letters from friends and family
  
 

Our heartfelt condolences on you loss of that wonderful entity known as Phil Garfoot.
We so much enjoyed being with him in Stehekin and experiencing his warmth and gentle humor and fine work for the Park Service.
With love, Tom and Emily Nawalinski

  
 


Phil was a great friend growing up in Fresno. We were next door neighbors and classmates at Roosevelt High School. We shared a passion for sports and athletics. Phil and I attended Confirmation together, were confirmed and became Luther Leaguers. The Lutheran Church and Pastor Jordan were very important to us. We shared some really wonderful experiences, fun times and fond memories while growing up. My family vacations in Cayucos and visited Phil’s parents while on vacation. I always enjoyed those visits. Phil was blessed with a wonderful family. Phil was a great writer and I loved getting his Christmas cards. Phil was truly a warm and special friend who will be missed by all those who knew him. Our sympathy and best wishes to Phil’s family and friends.
Marty

 

  
  Wendy,

I will be unable to attend Phil’s Memorial Service this week. I will be there in Spirit and will convey my thoughts to him.

Dear Phil,

I want to convey my thoughts to you for your journey on Planet earth. You accomplished many things and brought happiness to family, friends and to your fellow workers.

You were a sportsman, avid fan, a player and a fierce competitor who always relished the game and give 110%. I remember winning the CIF central valley championships winning in 12 innings in Bakersfield, with Keller, Fox, Garcia, Barserian, Rosenthal, Nalbandian, Cook and our eminent Coach Ollie Bidwell. We went to the Central California Regional Championships with Post 4 in Legion Baseball and won. We played against major leaguer’s Dick Ellsworth and Jim Maloney from Fresno High who went on to star with the Cubs and Reds.

God does not make mistakes, and made the decision that with the advent of the baseball season beginning, Heaven couldn’t wait, He needed a second baseball who could turn the double play, be a leadoff hitter, hit and run, bunt when needed and get on base at all cost. They were not to many qualified for the job and now you got the call. It is now your time to get back in the your new life which is eternal and now meet the new players in your new life. We will all be pulling for you and look forward to the day when we all meet our maker.

I will remember when I go to a ball game, see my grandchildren playing little league, and look at the grass and dirt infield and remember you.

May God bless you in your new life. Keep us posted how you are doing on your new journey and remember when you have two strikes, remember what Ollie taught us, “take two and go to right”.

Your teammate and buddy from class of ‘55

Gene Nalbandian

  
  We have known Phil for many years and he will be sorely missed with in the valley. Our hearts are with the family today. Love, Jim, Samantha, Gordy and Rene  
 
Keepers of the Common Ground
for Phil and Wendy Garfoot

Keepers of the Common Ground
(for Phil and Wendy Garfoot)

Wagon-wheel plates and deep well cups.
Alto laugh and low rumble of welcome.
Almost always counts in horseshoes;
Almost feels like home, always.

There must be ground for common ground.

Skew-eyed dogs; beer-named beast of easy burden.
Backstop backboard backgammon backdoor-screen
Spring squeaks and slaps back just like that
Every time. The open silence of cozy awe.

Sawhorse-escorted feasts of deep summer.
Fire pit and four square; fork and fiddle.
Unsurpassed casserole and unasked offer
Of chocolate-chip whims and hot-cocoa wishes.

Welcome puff of dust above delicious rows.
Welcome old friend and talkative stranger.
Welcome snow and Rainbow and cosmos.
Welcome player, welcome singer,
Welcome worthy, welcome weary.

Welcome.

Here's to the keepers of the common ground.

--Huuti Scutt