Obituary: Penny Garrison

Our mom, Penny Garrison, was born in Canton, Ohio, 74 years ago to the elegant Dick and Betty Parker. She loved yellow because her mother did and also because it matched her eternally optimistic personality. We would often hear her proclaim, even in seemingly mundane situations, “Isn’t this FUN?!” Our mom loved to laugh, and we loved to be the cause of that laughter. Especially in the middle of church. She was a devout and joyful Christian.

Our mom raised three children (Kathryn, Kristin, and Richard) and was married to the love of her life, Tom Garrison. They met at Northwestern University and married as soon as they graduated. Their journey together led them to California, Florida and North Carolina. They were madly in love and enjoyed each other’s company for 52 years. 

Until her recent bout with Alzheimer’s finally slowed her down, she attended every single event in which her children were involved, no matter how small. She was the kind of mom who would visit soon after any of us moved just so she could envision our new lives. She was also jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Just ask our dad. 

Our mom loved her community at the Church of the Messiah in Winter Garden, Florida, which they attended for 35 years. When our parents moved to Flat Rock in 2006, they joined St. James Episcopal. Throughout her life, our mom enjoyed the friendship of kindred spirits who were essentially members of an extended family. The connections went that deep. 

At an age at which many seniors settle in front of their televisions, our mom reinvented herself or, as she would probably say, found her true self. In 2008, she completed The Haden Institute’s Jungian dream analysis training. She founded the first dream group at St. James Episcopal that same year. We hope that when we are in our twilight years, we’ll have the courage and passion to dream as big and as joyfully as our mother did.

Our dad stayed by her side every step of the way as we lost her little by little to Alzheimer’s over the past two years. Stephanie Sawyer Cunto, our honorary sister, did as well. She adored her six grandchildren (Zoey, Ezra, Finn, Amelia, Penny Lou, and Lola) and our spouses (Cheri, Shannon, and Tom).

The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Jan. 2, 2015, at Church of the Messiah, 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Care Partners Adult Day Services, 114 College Drive, Flat Rock, North Carolina 28731.