Misty Garner Weegar's Legacy

August 11, 2010 was the day Misty Garner Weegar's life was taken from her at the hands of her boyfriend in a brutal act of domestic violence. She was 41. Such a sweet, loving soul gone far too soon, taken unjustly. Two weeks prior, she had just moved out of the house the two of them were purchasing together. Late into the evening Misty was found deceased in her newly-rented home, beaten unreckognizable and with 7 deep stab wounds punctured through her chest and torso, left there for hours before any report was made. The lives of so many changed forever and have never been the same.

Born Misty Garner on November 27, 1968, in Ocala, FL, my mother was adopted as an infant into a very loving family. She grew up there in Ocala with her 3 sisters--Stacy, Candy, and Judy. Misty was a graduate of Vanguard High School, Class of 1986 and was very involved in the school's various extracurriculars--a member of FBLA, Fidessa Club, the swim team, and even competed in stenography competitions at the national level. Many of her friends and peers described and remember her as well-dressed and put-together. Her best friend was Caren Davis, and it was her senior year that she met my father, Tim. My mother attended Emmanuel Pentecostal Church with Caren and her sister, Deane, where my father played drums in the band.

Misty started her career in banking, working part-time during high school before transitioning to a full-time role at Mark III Industries, an automotive and transportation/manufacturing company based in Ocala, shortly after graduation. In September of 1990, she gave birth to my beautiful sister, Bethanny. She loved this Child of hers, and she was the best 22-year-old mother "B" could have asked for.

Shortly after, Misty and Tim moved to Tallahassee. While living there, she one day inquired about babysitting services, and that is how she met one particular oh-so-sweet woman. This special lady looked after Bethanny (and eventually me for a short time) while our parents worked, and would become someone very close and special to Misty's heart, a lifelong friend and someone to which she remained close until the day she was no longer with us. This friend is someone Bethanny and I still keep up with and see as often as we can--our "Florida Mom," Rebecca. 

Her time in Tallahassee also included attending Keiser College, Class of 1993 for Paralegal Studies, using this degree to work in real estate law. I recall over the years, her employers referring to her "typewriting" skills often--she was a master on that thing and a master at shorthand.

After giving birth to me in January of 1997, she and my father moved to the Augusta, GA area about 8 months later, where she continued to work in this line of field for quite some time. She and my father divorced in 2001, and she remained the world's best mother, making every effort to support us in every way possible.

Misty loved makeup, and she always wore her "signature" red lipstick--she was absolutely stunning--and so it only seemed fit when she took on the role of Regional Sales Manager for Avon Products around 2006/2007. In this role, she began with under 300 employees and eventually grew her region to nearly 400, traveled widely, and she absolutely loved where her journey had led. This was her final place of work before her passing.

Throughout these various changes, our mother remained steadfast in raising Bethanny and me. While the two of us split time between homes, she never failed to miss a sporting event or school outing, ensuring that we knew how much she cared for and loved us. She took me out of town on numerous occasions for different tournaments/events and was supportive no matter my performance. I can honestly say I never recall an event she missed. On top of being the mother she was called to be, she was a wonderful grandmother, known as "OG" for "Old Grandma" as she was the elder of the two grandmothers to Bethanny's daughter, Rhyleigh. She was there to love that youngin' as any should, and she was there to help Bethanny with young motherhood. Like they say, it takes a village... Or in this case, it only took Mom.

Beyond this, Mom always managed to make sure we saw light outside of the CSRA, taking us to her favorite place, "the beach," and often at that, where I would become "brown as a biscuit" several times over each calendar year. To this day, I think I still have sand in my "cracks and crevices" as she would say. She loved to sunbathe, but she also loved to cool off in the ocean. A natural swimmer, she would go far out into the waters, where she would swim her beautiful backstroke, or just lie on her back, floating with the current. 

A gifted touch, she had. With her nails always procured beautifully thanks to countless Salon visits, she would "scratch" my back for what seemed like eternity--I miss that so much. Not only was her physical touch one of a goddess, but she touched the lives of so many throughout her nearly 42-year life. She was loving to those she did not know and would "give the shirt off her back" to a stranger. 

Her voice was soft, yet heard; loud, yet calming; booming when she wanted it to be. She was well-spoken and well-heard. I can still hear the sound of her voice screaming "Run, JD!! Ruuuuun!!" from the bleachers as I ran 8 laps around the track in middle school. I can still hear her voice above all others watching from the sidelines in my young soccer, baseball, and basketball days. When I was taking Tae-Kwon-Do, I know it took everything in her to keep quiet on the sidelines during class and belt-testings. She was truly the best fan any one person could ask for. 

Misty's ears were that of something else, and she never seemed to miss a word of my sister's or of which my rambling mouth spewed. She used these not only by dearly listening to her Childrens' every need, but she always loved herself some music. Some of her favorite musicians/bands included Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Jimmy Buffet, and she absolutely adored Tim McGraw.

Mom's eyes were majestic, overpowering anyone who dared take a peek into them. She used them to watch over us, and she loved to watch Florida State football and had season tickets when she lived in Tallahassee.  She also used them to read, A LOT. Her favorite author was James Patterson. She probably read 3-4 of those big 'ol books every week. Rumor has it, James was struggling to keep up with her. 

The smell of the ocean, the mountain air, and that of a well-conditioned home were a few of the things for which our mother enjoyed using her nose. However, I will say I don't believe her nostrils helped much in the "cooking department." She could cook a mean meatloaf and my favorite "Broccoli-Cheddar, Chicken Cheese Ring," as well as a delicious Pecan Pie that was often highly requested, but that's about it--"lol" as she would type in her Blackberry phone.

Our mother enjoyed her adult drinks, typically a "Jumbo Texas" margarita at Vallarta in Augusta. She also endulged in the occasional "Bahama Mama" beachside. No matter what is was, she just enjoyed a "girl's night," spending quality time with her closest friends and getting a well-deserved break from Bethanny and me!

Very humorous, Misty often enjoyed making others laugh. Man, did she love being facetious, not to be confused with "smart."  No matter what she was going through or what situation she or someone else was in, she constantly made her best efforts to bring light to the subject at hand.

Above all, Misty's spirit is what truly defined her. Faced with many challenges throughout her time on Earth, she always kept her head held high and her legs moving forward, with an open heart and an open mind. In the words of Tim McGraw, she truly did "Live Like You Were Dying."
 

- You may be gone, but you will surely never be forgotten. We miss you, we love you, and we know

you're having a blast in Heaven, waiting patiently for our time to see you again. -

May you rest easy and unharmed, forever.