Enumclaw hospital and Buckley fire benefit from family grant

Published 3:50 pm Thursday, April 30, 2009

By Jessica Keller, The Courier-Herald

Several organizations, including Enumclaw Community Hospital and the Buckley Fire Department have benefited from the generosity of one Buckley family and hard work.

The hospital and the fire department recently learned they were recipients of the Garnero estate, which was developed by the Garnero family.

Estate executrix Lucille Phillips, a family friend of the Garneros, informed the Enumclaw Community Hospital Foundation and the Buckley Firefighters Association each would receive $202,822 from the Garnero estate. The money for the hospital was to go into the general fund and the money for the fire department will go toward the purchase and maintenance of an aid car.

Buckley Fire Chief Alan Predmore was a bit speechless after informing the Buckley firefighters at their annual banquet of the gift.

"I'm just a tad bit overwhelmed," Predmore said. "I mean, what do you say? Thank you just doesn't seem to do it."

Various organizations in the state and the Plateau were recipients of the Garnero estate, including Buckley's Foothills Museum and the White River School District, with the hospital and the fire department among five organizations to receive the remainder of the money in a proportionate share after the rest had been distributed.

In a statement and biography of the family from Phillips, the assets of the Garnero estate were accumulated over the years by three of the four Garnero brothers, Paul, John and George. The money was passed from one brother to the next as a "result of hard working and loyal employment in local industries in the Buckley area. Their ethic was (to) work hard, live frugally and save some money for future needs."

The Garnero family moved from Rosanna, Italy, a small village in northern Italy in the Cuneo Province in the foothills of the Alps, to Fairfax, Wash. in the 1890s.

Paul Garnero, the second oldest Garnero brother and the oldest of the three Garnero bachelors, was born in Italy and in his adult years was employed in the timber industry, retiring from Weyerhaeuser in about 1975. He was a founder of the Buckley Rod and Gun Club, a veteran member of the Buckley Eagles and a known outdoorsman. John Garnero, born in Fairfax, graduated from Buckley High School in 1926 and was an outstanding athlete in football and track, where he was a discus record holder. He graduated from the College of Puget Sound, now the University of Puget Sound, and is a member of the hall of fame for his football and track exploits.

He taught at Gig Harbor High School, teaching manual training and was an assistant coach, but he gave up teaching for an outdoor life and individual pursuit of artistic interests. He was employed at Walker Cutstone in Wilkeson until his retirement.

George Garnero, who was nicknamed Nino, graduated from Buckley High School in 1931 and was an outstanding athlete in football and track and a record holder in the shot put. He lived in Silver Springs, Wash. during the Depression and became renowned as a log-cabin builder, rustic furniture maker, trapper and outdoorsman. He returned to Buckley and worked for Puget Sound Power and Light until his retirement.

George Garnero, the youngest of the brothers, passed away last year, with John proceeding him in death. Before John Garnero passed away he spoke with his younger brother and Phillips about what he would like to see happen to the remainder of the family estate. According to the release from Phillips, George Garnero followed his brother's explicit instructions, which have created "these community enhancing bequests."

According to the release from Phillips, "These brothers were truly good Buckley citizens, and they would all be happy to see what has become of their Italian heritage, hard work, honesty and frugal life style and what it has done for the community in which they lived."

At the Buckley firefighter's banquet, an emotional Phillips addressed the crowd and told them how happy she was to be able to communicate the wishes of the Garnero family.

"This really isn't about me other than I'm absolutely thrilled and proud to do this," she said.

"I really hope you'll be able to do something great with it."

Jessica Keller can be reached at jkeller@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald