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One of the four that has died in Utah from Crono

Bob Garff -- owner Ken Garff auto empire and former state representative. Boy this will wake up Utah's elite.

How old was he?

it's just the flu, right?

Wonder if Utah has shut down religious services?

Condolences to Mr Garff's family and friends.

Geno

By Courtney Tanner
·
Published: 19 hours ago
Updated: 2 hours ago
Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune is providing readers free access to critical local stories about the coronavirus during this time of heightened concern. See more coverage here. To support journalism like this, please consider donating or become a subscriber.

Robert H. Garff, an outspoken political and business leader in Utah for decades and among its most charitable philanthropists, died of the coronavirus on Sunday. He was 77.

Bob Garff, as he was known, became one of at least four Utahns so far to succumb to the disease and the first high-profile Utahn. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Melissa Ballard, who represents North Salt Lake as a Republican in the Utah House of Representatives. Her father served as speaker of that body from 1985 to 1987 and was a key organizer of the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.


Garff was also the longtime chairman of the Ken Garff Automotive Group, named for his father who started the company in 1932. It remains one of the biggest sellers of cars in Utah, selling everything from Chevrolets to Ferraris. There are also Garff dealerships in Michigan, Iowa, Texas, Nevada and California.

“My dad lived an amazing life,” Ballard told The Salt Lake Tribune on Sunday, pointing to him as her inspiration for getting into politics. “He is a giant in our city. And he didn’t care who got the credit for anything that he did.”

Garff and his wife, Katharine, had tested positive for the virus after driving back from a trip to Palm Springs, Calif. They self-quarantined upon returning home and feeling ill.

Robert Garff’s symptoms escalated. He was hospitalized last week and died there.

“It was really unexpected,” Ballard said. “And my mother is still battling this at home.”


Overall, 719 Utahns had tested positive by Sunday. While the state’s tally still only lists two deaths, The Tribune has confirmed at least two more — Garff and a 24-year-old woman who had a heart condition.

Ballard said that her father loved the community. She recalled how he was always saying, “What else can I do?” and “Who else can I help?” He was her model for running for office.

“I remember as a child watching and being part of his campaigns, knocking on doors and talking about issues over the dinner table," she said.

Garff is perhaps best known for his work leading the 2002 Winter Olympics as the chairman of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. The group was rocked by scandal after an investigation into scholarship payments used by Utah to win the bid and host the games. Several committee members resigned in disgrace. Garff was not involved in the bribes, but he selected Mitt Romney to take over as CEO for Salt Lake City’s festivities.

There was some controversy that Romney and Garff were both members of the dominant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here. But in a 2007 article in The Boston Globe, Garff defended his decision and faith: “It would have been a disaster if we just picked a stranger and they didn’t understand the mores of this community.”

Garff was also a former area Seventy in the church.


On Sunday, Romney issued a statement saying that Garff’s death “breaks my heart.”

“Bob’s contributions to our state, to our economy, and to our church will be heralded by many,” he said. “But for me, it was his sound and principled leadership as the Chairman of the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 that is most compelling. The scandal that surrounded the Games could have overwhelmed our collective commitment, but Bob’s genuine goodness, clear-eyed optimism, and can-do management experience helped to reignite our confidence and community spirit.”

Scott Howell, a former state senator who also worked on the Olympics, called Garff one of the best friends he had in politics — though they were on opposite sides of the aisle. And businessman Paul Huntsman, also owner and publisher of The Tribune, said he got to know Garff over the last two years. The two men did philanthropic work together and Huntsman said he was a frequent customer of Garff’s.

“He really had incredible kindness toward people, which stood out,” Huntsman said. “He was so generous with his time and his genuine interest.”

Garff and his family also donated millions to charity, particularly the American Cancer Society. The family also started their own nonprofit, The Success in Education Foundation, to increase literacy in the state and award scholarships.

We are devastated to learn Bob Garff has passed away. He was a compassionate, visionary and generous husband, father, friend, businessman and community giant. Bob loved the U and was passionate about supporting students. Our hearts are with his wife Kathi and the Garff family.

Garff was a major contributor to the University of Utah, funding a business school building. Last year, the university announced the Garff family would pay half of the $35 million in donations needed to expand the south end zone at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the football team plays and where the opening and closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics were held. When finished, that end of the stadium will be called the “Ken Garff Performance Zone.”


Garff also supported Proposition 8, California’s same-sex marriage ban, donating $100,000 to the cause in 2009. That caused intense pushback against the family in the state, with several gay-rights group boycotting the family’s dealerships.

On Sunday, Ken Garff Automotive also released a statement, calling the executive “a pioneer in the auto industry and the biggest cheerleader to every employee.”

It continued: “Robert loved his family immensely and will be missed by them as well as his employees and many friends.”

Many more leaders lined up with condolences. Gov. Gary Herbert said that Garff “touched countless lives and gave so much service to our state and its people.”

Speaker of the House Brad Wilson added: “His influence in our state will be deeply missed.”

Garff also served on the board of Intermountain Healthcare and is a former chairman of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. He lived in Bountiful and had five children and 21 grandchildren.

I keep seeing that phrase pop up. Is anybody really saying that it is just the flu? So far, the flu is ahead in the U.S. as far as deaths, by the way. 10 to 1, actually. Why no comments on every flu death?
The question that I have seen is whether the response has been justified by the threat. Is that not a legitimate question to ask?

I pretty sure the Mormon church has put their Easter conference on HD TV and not open to public.

IIRC one of the temples was closed down to positive Crono. Not sure if it was in Utah.

Biggest nest that was stirred up was the mass reception at public airport SLC international by 100s of "Saints" welcoming home missionaries.


Romneys torn up because Garff was a big bucks donor to him.

Thanks.

I flew in and out of SLC from Mid-December up until 2 weeks ago every Monday/Friday. I can say I'm glad to be working local to home for the rest of the year....

Well they are a rather close knit group of folks.

Reminds me, I should call a very good LDS friend in Virginia who will need to be very careful with this stuff given prior health issues.

Stay safe, giver of Science to this place.

Geno

The reason for the concern about COVID19 is the rate of death and ease of transmission vs the seasonal flu, which gives it great potential (if not dealt with correctly) to far outstrip the seasonal flu in total deaths.

" So far, the flu is ahead in the U.S. as far as deaths, by the way. 10 to 1, actually."

I don't doubt it but where did you get that information?

Unfortunately, the timing of this was of such that Christmas and New Years-January provided the perfect opportunity for travel, mixing and spreading the virus around.

The flu's on a bicycle. Covid 19 is in a 'Vette. With a pair of Browning 50's up front.

AFAIK the Mormon Church has essentially shut down world wide. No Church services. Even missionaries are being called home to the US. And the pending world conference coming this weekend will be virtual.

CDC 24,000 and 155 pediatric

Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report

I assure you, Utah is wide awake.

Furbarski said he kicked Covids ass after he caught it....Still wondering why this specimen of health hasn’t volunteered to have his plasma turned into a treatment for others who are sick?

😎

Well, in a few cases I seem to remember it being referred to that or "just another cold virus" (which I believe it is rather closely related to in certain cases).

But as others have pointed out, the speed it's spreading in some areas, combined with the lack of antibodies in most folks exposed to it, are creating something not seen in modern times.

Sure, the flu "is ahead", but it started earlier and likely no one was even attempting social distancing. Maybe being more careful about hand washing and such, but not staying away from folks. Not to mention testing for "flu" is way more developed.

How many times have you been in a work or social environment with someone exhibiting flu symptoms but not given too much concern to them? How many times have you yourself perhaps gone to church, the rifle club meeting, work etc when you were "coming down with something"? Maybe work because you were out of sick leave or didn't want to use it for "just the flu"?

Every indication, to me at least, seems to point at this being a bit worse than the flu................but perhaps these somewhat extreme measures are having more of an effect than many think? And therefor the numbers seem to point to the flu being "ahead" at this point in time? Seems to me a lot of folks are not considering that.

I, for one, know that folks in my area are being much more careful than they would be during even a bad flu year. And, based on my background I'd say being careful is having a beneficial effect in regards to infection rates and therefor illness and mortality rates. Being careful has had the likely unintended consequences of crashing the economy due to PANIC! and folks not dealing with reality. Not to mention our economic structure that works on this quarter's numbers, not the long term.

Yep, it's just the flu or to put it in other terms I've heard, "the flu is worse". "The flu kills more people" and so on.

People don't comment on flu deaths because we're used to them as a society, accept the losses, have vaccines and treatment plans for it, and know the outcomes ........mostly.

Geno

Well said Geno.....😎

Utah is doing just fine. We rent a facility from the Sandy City parks & Rec and we have been shut down until May 10th now. FaceBook Live works just fine for now. Last I saw of the Govt Directives it went from no groups bigger than 50 to 10 to now, no groups really, except for big family s, ha. We all do our part, everyone is helping as best they can. I work PT at Home Depot, everyone is doing their part, customers are safe and have room to keep 6ft away from each other. Cafes/Restaurants do Take Out Orders. Gun stores doing a great business, ha! Bump in the road...hope no one gets the 'drizzles"....they have bought up all the TP! Ha. This too shall Pass.