By Staff
Mrs. Tara Louise Tankard Garrett, age 38, a resident of 703 Tankard Drive, Bath, passed away Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011 at Beaufort County Medical Center.
A celebration of Tara’s life will be held 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, at Harvest Church, 2020 West 15th St., Washington, conducted by Pastor Kent Mattox.
The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Harvest Church and other times at the home of her parents, Tad and Treva Tankard, 417 Tankard Drive, Bath.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the completion of the Children’s Wing of Harvest Church, (where Tara was Children’s pastor) c/o Harvest Church, 2020 West 15th St., Washington, N.C. 27889.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.
Tara was born March 31, 1972 in Washington, North Carolina. She was a graduate of Emmanuel Christian School and Oral Roberts University. After graduation, she moved to Orlando, Fla., to teach and it was there she met the ‘love of her life,’ Brian Garrett, and was married on Dec. 30, 1995. From the beginning, believing God had a special call on their lives, they worked for the next four years, side by side, in inner city ministry with children and the homeless in Orlando. After a short time back in North Carolina where Tara was a teacher at Emmanuel Christian School, they moved to Oxford, Ala., where they served at Word Alive International Church, again with children and other ministries. In 2005, she and Brian returned to Washington where they serve as associate pastors of Youth and Children’s ministries at Harvest Church.
Tara is survived by her husband, Brian Garrett, her parents, Pastor Tad and Treva Tankard of Bath and one special brother, Adam Tankard of Denver, Colo. Tara’s life was influenced greatly by godly grandparents; Thad and Rowena Tankard of Bath and the late Nellie Woolard Lee. Her life was also shared with many uncles and aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews, whom she enjoyed giving love and joy to.
Tara was known to all as the ‘girl with contagious JOY,’ an unshakeable FAITH, and of course the beautiful singing voice that touched so many lives. She not only expressed her love and devotion to Jesus Christ with words, but with actions. She served tirelessly to people of all levels of life, backgrounds and ages. Always having time for the person in need, her life was marked by so many testimonies of those whose lives were changed and impacted from her love, counsel, and prayer with them.
Always having a desire for missions, locally and globally, Tara began with her first mission trip to Russia in 1991 for two months, later ministering in Romania, Nicaragua and several U.S. short term mission trips. All of her 38 years were lived to the fullest, ever seeking to live out God’s destiny and purpose for her.
Some would say a great light has gone out of our lives. But we would say the light you saw was not Tara, but the ‘light of the world,’ Jesus Christ, that lived IN her and THROUGH her every day of her life. She left a deposit in many who will carry on her desire to serve the Savior wholeheartedly, unwavering and unashamedly to the end.
Paid Obituary