James Michael Garvin

James Michael Garvin of Asheville, NC passed away peacefully on May 13, 2025, his 79th birthday.

Born in Dubuque, IA to Helen and Philip Garvin, Jim grew up in a house built by his father and shared a room with his younger brother, Paul. He enjoyed running around and playing after school with his friends from Holy Ghost, a school he loved so much that he attended his reunions well into his 70s. After graduating from Upper Iowa University, he enlisted in the US Army, where he served in Germany. This is where he met his wife of nearly 52 years, Maria (Geidel) Garvin.

After getting married, Jim and Maria lived in several states in the Southeast, with his only child Christine being born in Tennessee in 1978. Jim worked nearly his entire adult life for diesel engine companies, most notably in Quality Assurance. He also continued to honorably serve in the Army Reserves until his retirement at age 60.

Jim took pride in every car he owned, working on them and keeping them in pristine condition. In his later years, he enjoyed going to car shows and marveling at the cars from the 1950s and 60s.

A tennis player in college, Jim shared his favorite sport with his wife in the early years of their marriage, as well as his daughter when she was growing up. Jim also enjoyed watching football, and took advantage of watching games on big screens at local breweries after their move to Asheville, NC in 2007.

A soft-spoken man who easily got along with everyone that he met, Jim enjoyed both going to local events as well as being at home, working in the yard, cleaning up the garage, and reading news on his computer. A big fan of pecan pie and anything chocolate-related, every Christmas Eve Jim would turn on 24-hours of “A Christmas Story” to serve as background to the Christmas celebration. He will be dearly missed.

Jim is survived by his wife, Maria, and his daughter Christine, as well as his sister-in-law, Sue, and nephew, Jonathan & his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Paul. A Celebration of Life is forthcoming.

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