Betty Jo Garst
June 3, 1927 — October 19, 2023
Betty Jo (BJ) Garst passed away at the age of 96 on October 19, 2023, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
BJ was born to Fred and Virginia Minshall on June 3, 1927, in Daniels, West Virginia. She grew up on the family farm in Kingston, Ohio, where she spent many hours doing farm chores. Ready to discover life outside of the farm, she attended The Ohio State University and graduated wi...
Betty Jo (BJ) Garst passed away at the age of 96 on October 19, 2023, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
BJ was born to Fred and Virginia Minshall on June 3, 1927, in Daniels, West Virginia. She grew up on the family farm in Kingston, Ohio, where she spent many hours doing farm chores. Ready to discover life outside of the farm, she attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a BA. She met Daniel M. Garst while at OSU, and they married on April 22, 1950. Dan and BJ were married for 63 years, until Dan’s death in 2013.
When Dan was hired at Sandia Labs in 1957, the couple and their two daughters moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Dayton, Ohio. In 2008, they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to be near their daughters.
Dan and BJ made many friends over the years, enjoying friendships in Ohio, Albuquerque, and most recently at The Boulders in Las Cruces. BJ was an excellent cook and gracious hostess and loved entertaining friends and Dan’s business associates from all over the world while he worked at Sandia. Along with entertaining, BJ was a skilled seamstress, enjoyed reading, playing bridge, and gardening. BJ was a sharp bridge player and enjoyed teaching others how to play. She and Dan were avid travelers and took many trips to the Bahamas, the Oregon coast, and Alaska. BJ and Dan were members of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque, and later attended St. Paul’s Methodist Church and Sonoma Springs Covenant Church in Las Cruces...
Betty Jo (BJ) Garst passed away at the age of 96 on October 19, 2023, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
BJ was born to Fred and Virginia Minshall on June 3, 1927, in Daniels, West Virginia. She grew up on the family farm in Kingston, Ohio, where she spent many hours doing farm chores. Ready to discover life outside of the farm, she attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a BA. She met Daniel M. Garst while at OSU, and they married on April 22, 1950. Dan and BJ were married for 63 years, until Dan’s death in 2013.
When Dan was hired at Sandia Labs in 1957, the couple and their two daughters moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Dayton, Ohio. In 2008, they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to be near their daughters.
Dan and BJ made many friends over the years, enjoying friendships in Ohio, Albuquerque, and most recently at The Boulders in Las Cruces. BJ was an excellent cook and gracious hostess and loved entertaining friends and Dan’s business associates from all over the world while he worked at Sandia. Along with entertaining, BJ was a skilled seamstress, enjoyed reading, playing bridge, and gardening. BJ was a sharp bridge player and enjoyed teaching others how to play. She and Dan were avid travelers and took many trips to the Bahamas, the Oregon coast, and Alaska. BJ and Dan were members of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque, and later attended St. Paul’s Methodist Church and Sonoma Springs Covenant Church in Las Cruces.
BJ is survived by her daughters, Emily Garst, of Ruidoso, and Betsy Holt (Matt), of Las Cruces; five granddaughters, Megan Cain, Lindsay Locke, Kate Stokes, Carrie Acosta (Mario), and Amy Holt; eleven great-grandchildren; her brother, George Minshall of Kingston, Ohio; and several dear nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel, her older brother Bill Minshall, and sisters-in-law Inez, Carolyn and Sue.
A gathering of family and friends is planned for a later date.
The family would like to thank both the staff at the Heritage Assisted Living for their kind and loving professional care, helping BJ in her last few months, and Mesilla Valley Hospice for their many kindnesses in her last few days.
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