Richard Carlton Garner

Richard Carlton Garner, 34, died unexpectedly on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

Born on November 2, 1988, in Lexington, Virginia, he later lived with his family in Lynchburg and Stafford County. Richard was a graduate of Christchurch School near Urbana, Virginia, where he was a prefect and a member of the golf, sailing, and lacrosse teams. He served as captain of the lacrosse team and earned its Leadership Award.

Richard learned to love and appreciate the beauty and wonders of nature at a very early age. As a young boy, he enjoyed exploring the woods and fishing with his dad. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout, participating in all that the Boy Scouts of America offered. Treasured moments were the times spent with his father, his fellow Scouts, and their fathers on campouts and at Philmont Scout Ranch. Richard became an avid hunter and fisherman, never losing his love and respect for the outdoors. He often said that his best times with God were when he was sitting in a tree stand or on the river.

Richard was known for his charismatic personality, infectious laugh, strong work ethic, and love for family, friends, and colleagues. While Richard had many wonderful mentors in life, the greatest of these was his mother. She was his champion and tireless advocate.

As a young adult, he developed exceptional skill in training Labrador retrievers for field trials and hunt tests, was a trained and certified professional welder, and was working in the construction industry at the time of his death.

Richard is survived by his parents, Tricia and Bill Garner; sister Anna Katherine and her two daughters, Jess and Nicole; grandparents Jean and Carlton Garner of Gulf Shores, Alabama; Aunt Allison Jones, Uncle Charlie, and cousin Hope of Tennessee; Aunt Leisha LaRiviere, Uncle Jan, and cousins Stacey, Khaki, and JC of Chesterfield; step-grandmother Ann Marie Brown Humphreys and the Brown family of Mississippi; and many friends and colleagues.

He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard N. Humphreys.

A celebration of Richard’s earthly and eternal life will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 16, 2022, at the Fredericksburg Country Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard’s memory to The Waterfront Forever Endowment at Christchurch School (49 Seahorse Lane, Christchurch, Virginia 23031) or The George Washington Foundation (1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401).