John Wade Garno

John Wade Garno, 71, of Amarillo, TX passed away peacefully at home on August 13, 2025 surrounded by family and friends.

Graveside service will be at 2:00 PM, Friday, August 15, 2025 at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

John was born in Amarillo, TX to Ruth and Jim Garno on March 11, 1954. He attended Amarillo schools and graduated from Tascosa High School in 1974.

He worked for Baldwin Trucking for 25 years and retired from Thermo King after 5 years. John was an avid music lover who taught himself how to play guitar with a Johnny Cash songbook. He had a passion for collecting many musical instruments and attending blue grass festivals where he loved to pull out his harmonica and join in. John loved to take an old broken string instrument and bring it back to life to be enjoyed by others.

He never passed up a garage or estate sale and liked meeting new people as no one was a stranger to him. John loved life but loved his family harder. He lived life to the fullest and never turned down a moment to make you laugh.

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

He is preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Gary Garno of Amarillo, TX.

John is survived by his wife Joyce Garno of Amarillo, TX; daughters, Amy Perez of Amarillo, TX, Lacy Pisani and husband Joe of St. Petersburg, FL, Carrie Cancino of Lubbock, TX, Kelli-Jo Beene and husband Royce of Amarillo, TX, and Melanie Jones and husband Chuck of Tyler, TX; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Phyllis Rockhold and husband Billy of Amarillo, TX; brother, Al Garno and wife Jackie of Amarillo, TX; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Center, 2101 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 3200, El Segundo, CA 90245 or pancan.org/donate