| Graduation Year | Class of 1957 |
| Date of Passing | Sep 16, 2008 |
| About | Cape Cod Times September 18, 2008 Faith Michell Garland, 69 Scuba Enthusiast; World traveler; Mother BOURNE — Faith Michell Garland, 69, died peacefully Tuesday morning, September 16, 2008, at her home in West Falmouth. She was surrounded by her beloved children and two cherished dogs. She was the widow of David Gray Garland. Faith was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where she spent her early years. She and her mother returned to the United States when she was a young girl. She attended the Buckingham School in Cambridge, England, and an international school in Madrid, Spain before she returned to graduate from Bourne High School in 1957 as a member of the honor society. She went on to attend Wheaton College in Norton. During her school years, Faith worked at everything from lifeguarding and teaching swimming on Mashnee Island to teaching Sunday school and working for Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co. in Boston. She commissioned David Garland of Buzzards Bay to build her a small rowboat, and the two fell instantly in love. He once bragged of being so smitten that he gave her a 10 percent discount on the boat. Faith married David in January of 1960 in New Hampshire, and she took to the role of mother with inherent enthusiasm and passion, playing an active role in the lives of her children. She and Dave would often take them along on their adventures camping, boating or traveling to some distant exotic locale. As her children grew, she took up scuba diving and enjoyed it so much she joined the Bourne Underwater Recovery Unit as a volunteer search-and-rescue diver, and continued to dive for years throughout the Caribbean. She became an active trustee at Friends Academy, sailed around the Caribbean often, and dabbled in property renovations throughout Europe, including Germany and one of the Aegean Islands. About 15 years ago, she and David retired to Pine Island, Fla., living very simply on what she called her "farm." She wanted to try her hand at anything that seemed interesting, whether it was parasailing, getting a boating license, learning sign language, joining an archaeological dig or taking cruises with family. She touched so many lives and the loss will be great to those who knew her. Known for her kind and generous spirit, she never uttered a word of complaint and never lost her witty sense of humor. A memorial service was held at St. Peter's Church on the Canal on Main Street, Buzzards Bay with a celebration-of-life reception immediately following the service at her home in Buzzards Bay. Burial was private. Memorial donations can be made to either Adopt A Greyhound Inc., P.O. Box 512, Falmouth, MA 02541, or The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or the charity of your choice. |
