Ralph Garrow Sr. saw the potential of Antioch before many others after coming back from World War II and helped lead the early development by creating many homes for first time home buyers. He died this week of natural causes at age 96.
According to his son Ralph Garrow Jr. his dad was quiet and reserved but always found a way to connect with people to get his message across.
“Dad was reserved and very quiet. He would listen to everyone a lot, but when he spoke it was with meaning,” said Ralph Jr. “He wasn’t a yeller, but he could let someone sink themselves with their own words. He stayed in the background and promoted his business, but not himself. He was well connected with those developing the City and always realized the big picture that Antioch and East County were going to grow and needed it done right.”
What concerned his dad most was people taking short-cuts and cheating.
“He was concerned about people who took short cuts and were dishonest–especially with building of the houses,” said Garrow Jr. “Dad was taught to take time, use good materials and do it right because your name is on it.”
Garrow Sr. first got into real estate while on a ship back home from the South Pacific. He read it and was hooked.
“He practically memorized the text book and passed the test. He was always interested in business, but real estate hooked him. He got his license and took off. He started helping people buying and selling properties. Then building and then subdivision,” said Garrow Jr. “He seemed to like the deal and closing deals. Real estate always fascinated him and putting complex deals while connecting people with property.”
He recalls that his dad would always try and make the numbers work and find an angle. He also noted that he always had a yellow pad of paper with him for notes and writing things down. He was always looking for systems as well—especially with the stock market.
Although Garrow Sr. started out as a realtor after serving in the military, he quickly moved into building and developing.
“The GI Bill created a big need for homes and at that time and Antioch was a mill town with a lot of jobs,” said Garrow Jr. “He started out hiring contractors to build homes but found out they were ripping him off on materials so he partnered with them and started his own company. It was a good mix between building homes and selling real estate.”
Garrow Sr. settled on Antioch after the War because his wife Eunice Higgins was from Antioch and he met her while working at his brothers laundry mat prior to enlisting after Pearl Harbor. The two were married for 61 years until Eunice passed away in 2004.
Garrow Jr. says his dad loved to travel, play golf, and attend the horse races. He also loved good restaurants with his favorite being Carpaccios. He was a member of the Elks Club and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
“Dad really cared about the community and people. He was very generous and helped a lot of people behind the scenes. He was very caring, if they only saw his business side they would not have noticed that, but he had a great life and quite an experience hearing all the stories and how many people knew him,” said Garrow Jr.
OBITUARY
Ralph Ray Garrow, Sr.
November 16, 1917 – April 14, 2014Born in Stockton with his twin brother Mel, the last of 11 brothers and sisters, Ralph graduated from Stagg High School and studied business after that. He came to Antioch before World War II to work for his brother Brag at the American Laundry and met his future wife, Eunice Higgins. He enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor in 1941 and was first stationed in Oklahoma. Eunice traveled to meet him in Kansas and they were married there on June 20, 1943. They were married for 61 years until Eunice passed away in 2004. After their wedding, Ralph served in the South Pacific Theatre on Eniwetok Atoll and the Philippines until 1946. On the troopship trip back after the war, Ralph read a real estate textbook and obtained his broker’s license after arriving home.
Active for over 50 years as a homebuilder, real estate developer and broker, he was instrumental in building over 5,000 homes in Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood plus brokering real estate sales. He helped launch the careers of dozens of real estate professionals with Ralph Garrow Real Estate and Delta Bay Real Estate. Ralph was a member of the Delta Association of REALTORS and its founding organization. The business he started continues today as Ralph Garrow Real Estate and is managed and operated by his family.
Eunice and Ralph vacationed yearly in the warm weather climes of Hawaii, Palm Desert and Boulder Creek and cherished their time spent with family and friends. Ralph loved playing golf and spent countless hours practicing his short game, fulfilling a dream when they moved from Antioch to a home on the fairway at Summerset in Brentwood in 2000. He and Eunice also enjoyed watching their thoroughbred horses race at Golden Gate Fields. His other hobbies were photography and the stock market. His drive, spirit, generosity and sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his son Ralph Garrow, Jr. (Laurie) of Antioch, daughter Joslyn Missy Vigil (Kim) of Brentwood, grandchildren Alex and Ian Garrow of Antioch, Jasmine Sexton (Andre) of Oregon, Beau Vigil of Brentwood and Taylor Vigil of Rohnert Park, plus 3 great grandchildren, Bailey, Ethan and Judah Sexton. Ralph was preceded in death by his wife Eunice, father Alex, mother Lena, brothers El, Brag, Jack, Bob, Bill and Mel, plus sisters Ethel, Ruth, Lucille and Laverne. The family would like to thank the staffs of Westmont Compass Rose of Brentwood and Vitas Hospice for the special care and attention given Ralph during his final months.
A celebration of Ralph’s life will be held on Thursday April 24th, 2014 at Brentwood Funeral Home, 839 First St. in Brentwood with visitation at 10:00 AM and memorial service at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow in the Garrow family plot at Stockton Rural Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Ralph would have wanted you to give generously to your favorite charity.
3 comments
Mr. Garrow and Mr. Vetrano built some of the best homes in Antioch. Very good quality unlike what is being done today. Prayers for the Garrow family.
Ralph Garrow, Sr was a special man who was a true visionary with a business mind. He was honest, caring and much respected by all who knew him. He always had a ready smile and listened when you spoke to him! Antioch owes a lot to him. Thoughts and prayers to Ralph, Jr, Laurie and all the Garrow family!
End of an era… went from a mill town with jobs and developers that live here and were part of the community, to giant construction companies using low wage illegal aliens. Now the only growing industry in Antioch is the “Wellfare Industry”.
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