Jean Garrett was born in the small town of Abernant to Myra and Roy Buck on September 9, 1937. Her mother was the local postmaster. Jean graduated as valedictorian from Brookwood High School. She worked as a medical transcriptionist and helped her husband, Harvey, start and run over 18 different businesses in the Birmingham area. Later she helped her daughter Rhonda, produce beauty pageants in the Miss Universe and Mrs. America systems, for over 35 years.

Jean's life was shaped by her strength, wisdom and fierce love and dedication to her family. As a daughter, she cared for her mother through dementia and death, raised her daughter Rhonda with deep and sacrificial love, helped bring up her granddaughter, Christian, and fulfilled her final wish in seeing her great grandchild, Liam, before she passed away on Monday, December 8, 2025.

Jean was preceded in death by her mother, Myra, her sister, Mildred, and her husband, Harvey. She is survived by her daughter, Rhonda Gilliam (Jeff), granddaughter Christian (Robert), and great grandson Liam. Services will be held Wednesday, December 17 at Valhalla Cemetery, with the Visitation at 11:00 a.m., and the Funeral Service at 12 noon.