William Herbert Garrett Jr.

As you know all too well, Bill had been in declining health for years, growing progressively weaker as each year passed. His body finally gave out on August 22.

It was a difficult and painful decline, both for Bill and for all of us who loved him, respected him, and stood in awe of the remarkable person he was.

Bill spent his final months at home with me, supported by many excellent and compassionate caregivers. As difficult as this time has been, I am deeply grateful that I was able to help care for him through those final months.

Bill was cremated, and there will be no service or memorial, as that is something he would not have wanted. Since rituals are for the living, I hope each of you will celebrate his extraordinary life in whatever way feels right to you.

There will never be another Bill Garrett.

His love of ideas and intellectual exploration, his generosity in sharing what he knew, and his joy in connecting with others touched so many lives. He gave so much to the people around him and embraced life with an openness and curiosity that were uniquely his own.

I will always remember how much Bill could inspire people, often with just a few simple words. When I returned to college at the age of 45, Bill was my first professor. After his first lecture, I told him that I felt in over my head. He put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, “You will do fine.” Those simple words gave me the courage to keep going. That was Bill—encouraging, generous, and quietly believing in people when they needed it most.

Another memory that makes me smile is from one evening when Bill and I were watching a vampire movie together. At one point, I made a rather negative comment about the idea of living forever, saying that I would never want to live eternally. Bill, however, looked at it quite differently. He said that he would want to live forever—because there were so many books he still wanted to read.

That was Bill in a nutshell. Even the idea of immortality was, for him, an opportunity for more books, more ideas, more discoveries, and more time to explore the world. His curiosity was endless, and there was always something more he wanted to learn.

No one can replace Bill, and he is already terribly missed.

I will be moving back to Alameda around mid-October. Please feel free to get in touch. I would love to share memories, old stories, and laughter together as we keep Bill’s memory alive.

A mind like Bill’s can never be forgotten.

With an aching heart, and with profound gratitude for the honor of having been his partner, and for the privilege and joy of sharing a life with this extraordinary man,

I say farewell, my love.

With love and gratitude,

Judy