R.I.P.: Jill Garrett, Longtime WNEP-TV NEPA Health Reporter

Jill Garrett

Colleagues of former WNEP-TV news anchor and health reporter Jill Garrett are remembering her as a kind, compassionate person who cared about her stories and the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Garrett died last week after a long battle with dementia. She was 66, reports The Bloomsburg Press-Enterprise.

Carl Abraham, who retired as WNEP news director in April after 38 years with the station, said Garrett will be remembered for many things. For one, she was the first African American news anchor in the region.

“Not only was she a pioneer, but also a role model for a lot of people in this area,” Abraham said.

“She was one of those really nice people you enjoy working with,” said longtime WNEP reporter Mike Stevens, whose desk was situated near Garrett’s. “In all the time I’ve worked there, I never heard her say a bad thing about anybody.”

Marisa Burke, also a former reporter and anchor at the station, said she knew Garrett well, both professionally and personally.

“She was a very honest, caring, compassionate and genuine person. She had a fantastic smile. She would smile and it was contagious,” Burke said. “It was unfortunate that she developed health problems that became more and more serious as the years went on. She went into more of a private mode as she became more ill, and our communications lessened.

“As for the professional, she paid attention to detail and always wanted to put the best product on air as possible,” Burke said. “She really cared about her health stories because she really cared about people. And being from the Wyoming Valley, she cared about the valley so much.”

Born in New York, Garrett and her family moved to Pennsylvania when she was young. She graduated from E.L. Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre. She volunteered to do clerical work and help displaced families during the Agnes flood in 1972.