It is with great sadness, that we share the news of Caye Garrett’s recent passing. Her obituary and funeral arrangements are below.
Cathryne “Caye” Mosteller Garrett was born in Charlotte County, VA, on March 13, 1927, into a family that had been in Virginia since 1620 (now for 16 generations). She was one of six siblings including her twin sister with whom she celebrated her 90th birthday last year. She grew up during the Great Depression. She went on to attend Longwood College (now University) but before finishing moved to Hampton, Virginia, where she obtained a job with NASA (then called NACA).
She met her husband, Ben Garrett, and they had two sons. She lived most of her life in Hampton until she moved into a retirement condominium in Poquoson, VA, in her 80’s. She was widowed at age 50, and while she remained socially very active, never remarried.
After obtaining her real estate license, she became a female pioneer in the real estate industry
in 1963 and traveled the world to military bases looking for potential clients moving to the Hampton Roads military bases.
She ran Garrett Inc. Realtors and Caye Garrett Realty, but spent the latter part of her career as
part of Long & Foster Realty after selling her business to them. She won too many awards to
list, obtained multiple designations in the real estate industry and continued learning new
techniques in training classes up until she was 88-years-old. She bought, sold and managed her
own rental property up until she was 88 as well. During her real estate career, she encouraged many others to enter the real estate industry.
She always dressed impeccably and loved to participate in ballroom dancing up into her mid 80’s. She went on numerous cruises, also traveling the world, and loved to entertain. She was an active member of the Hampton Yacht Club and the James River Country Club. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Hampton for over 50 years.
She was predeceased in death by her husband, Ben Garrett Sr., her oldest son, Benjie Garrett
Jr., her youngest sister, Bette Mosteller, who was the head librarian at Christopher Newport
University. In addition her twin sister, Margo, and her brother Paul both passed away in the last year. Two of her siblings are still alive, Robert and George Mosteller.
She is survived by her son, Greg Mosteller Garrett, grandchildren, Gregory Mosteller Garrett Jr,
Trent Kennedy Garrett, Adam Benjamin Garrett, Benjamin Ellis Garrett III, and Sarah Cathryne Garrett, named after her. She had 4 great grandchildren with the 5th expected next month.
There will be a visitation at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hampton, VA, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. this Friday afternoon. Then the memorial service will occur at the First Presbyterian Church, on Armistead Avenue in Hampton, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
