NAPA - Eula Beal Garnett passed away Tuesday, July 29, 2008, in her home in Napa, with family by her side. Eula was the wife of famous aerial photographer and former professor emeritus at Berkeley, William A. Garnett, who passed away in August of 2006.

Eula Beal was well-known in the classical music world in the 1940s. She had a career as a concert contralto touring the United States and appeared with several orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the direction of Eugene Ormandy, at the Hollywood Bowl. Eula is best-known for her starring role in the first full-length movie of a classical concert, "Concert Magic," which was released in 1947, opposite famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin. During the 1948 season she appeared in the San Francisco Opera as Erda in "Siegfried," and as the innkeeper in "Boris Godunov." Eula sang in the Radio City Music Hall in New York City; at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., with the Boston Pops; with the Phoenix Symphony and all across the United States.

Eula was born in Riverside where she got her start in music, singing at the Redlands Bowl and in local competitions. Her touring career only lasted a decade as she chose to focus on being a wife and mother after she married William Garnett on Sept. 14, 1942. She continued to perform locally over the decades with the San Francisco Symphony, the Santa Rosa Symphony and the Napa Symphony. She was also an active singer and soloist in the Napa "Silverado Singers" choral group and sang for many years in the Napa Valley for funerals and churches.

Eula Beal Garnett is survived by her sons, Bill, Don and Jay, and grandchildren, Erin, Nick and Geoff.

A private family service will be held.

Arrangements are under the direction of Richard Pierce Funeral Service, 1660 Silverado Trail, Napa. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.rpfsc.com.