Monte E. Garrabrant

GARRABRANT

Monte Garrabrant, 63, of Grove City, OH, passed away May 5, 2014. He was born on April 5, 1951. He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Stella Garrabrant, sister and brother in law, Louise and Charles Nixon. Surviving family includes cousins, Barbara Fleischer, Connie (Larry) Smiley, Nicole Smiley, Tommy (Rose) Smiley, partner, Dan Lehman, several other cousins and many friends.

Soon after graduating from The Ohio State University, Monte began his career as an educator with the Logan Hocking School District in Logan, Ohio as an art teacher. He served as the Director of the Festival of the Arts in Logan for 25 years as well as being a co-founder of the Logan-Hocking School District Educator Hall of Fame. Later in his career, after earning a masters' degree from College of Mt. St. Joseph and a second from Capital University, Monte served in a variety of administration roles with the district.

An active member of the Ohio Art Education Association, Monte held numerous offices in the organization throughout his career. The OAEA honored him with the Outstanding Art Teacher Award for Southeastern Ohio in 1989 and in 2012 as the Ohio Art Educator of the Year. Both awards were very dear to him, representing his life-long devotion to art education.

In addition to his efforts in art education, Monte was active in numerous community organizations, including the Columbus Museum of Art serving as a Member of the Beaux Arts and a member and recent past president of the Session's Society.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 1-2pm, where a memorial service will begin at 2pm on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at Newcomer Funeral Home and Crematory, SW Chapel, 3393 Broadway, Grove City, OH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Columbus Foundation for the Ohio Art Education Fund, 1234 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43205 or the Alzheimer's Association, 1379 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215.