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Corsicana Citizen, David Garrett
 David Garrett, a Navarro County Texas resident his whole life, remains active in the community. Spending his first few years in Mildred, now living in Corsicana, he has grown deep roots in the community over the past 77 years. "I met Marilyn when she was a telephone operator and I used to call her when I worked nights on dispatch. I guess I was a good talker, because I got her to marry me," he says. |  David Garrett worked for the Corsicana Police Department 12 years. "I started out as police dispatcher at night … after a lot of years they put me on patrol …I gained rank of Captain, then took a leave of absence and went to the Ennis Police for 2 years," says Dave. He went to college at Sam Houston and Abilene Christian University for his degrees before becoming Chief of Campus Police & teaching Police Academy at Navarro College for 21 years. At 77 he's worked for the police for 48 years. |
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 In courthouse square, across the street from Corley's Funeral Home, he points out the Navarro County Courthouse and War Memorial. Dave served in the United States Corps of Engineers as a combat construction engineer in Karlsruhe, Germany in the early 1960's. He knows nearly all of the courthouse workers by name from his many years serving on the police force. |  In semi-retirement, David and Marilyn Garrett continue to work part time at Corley Funeral Home. "We grew up around here, and we know these people and their families," he explains before turning to greet a family who have come for a memorial and visitation. |
 Dave believes that his Concealed Gun Safety Classes help prevent misuse of handguns. He teaches his class, "You have to handle a firearm with respect and carefulness at all times." |  An important part of the class is practice on a range so that his students are comfortable with their handguns and know how to use the safety, triggerlocks, and aiming points of each. During his Concealed Handgun Safety Class David to promotes safe home storage of firearms and prepares citizens for the responsibility of a potentially deadly weapon. "You need to be aware of a few things before a crisis situation," teaches Mr. Garrett. |
 David addresses his class, Bret Smith, George Smith, Chelsea Smith , Georgene Brown, and Jimmy Taylor, saying, "This is the last concealed handgun class I am going to teach for awhile because I've got cancer and they are going to start radiation and some kind of that and another to put this thing to sleep." Having beat cancer 20 years ago, he is optimistic that this will also be put behind him. |  Their dog, Toby, tries to join the guests in the other room, but Marilyn does not want him to be an attention hogging nuisance and prevents him. "Children need guidance," she says, regarding rules and values in teaching good behavior. Now that their children are grown, the grandchildren visit all of the time and Toby is the baby. Marilyn tells us that they taught their family to have concern for others. They are active members of Northside Baptist Church. |
 David and his wife believe in community service and are both active in the Republican Party. Marilyn proudly displays memorabilia from George W. Bush's Texas Gubernatorial Commencement and United States Presidential Inauguration. "We can make a difference in our country if we don't give up on it," she declares. |
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