Charles Howard Garrison

Charles was born to Orville and Frances (Barrow) Garrison on June 11, 1941 in Jacksonville, the second of five children. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High school in 1960 and over the years earned multiple college degrees, most notably a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Charles was a military veteran, having served for three years. He was in the U.S. Army Honor Guard Company at Ft. Myer, Virginia. During that time, he was proud to have served as a Tomb Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. After the Army, he worked as a full-time minister, then college professor, and finally retired as the Director of Technology at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.

Charles will always be remembered as a gifted and competitive athlete. He was an outdoorsman who loved hunting, swimming, and sailing. He was a woodworker, bowler, bike rider, chess player, poet, artist, racquetball player, and avid gun collector. He was deeply involved in voluntary church leadership, including Bible teaching and preaching. He loved to serve those in need.

Most importantly, Charles was a beloved son, brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Glen and Larry, and his son, Jesse. He is survived by: sisters Frances (Vernon) Billingsley of Arkansas and Orvieta (Harold) Adams of Florida; children C. Michael (Anne) Garrison of Michigan, Kelley (Don) Smith of Indiana, Philip (Leslie) Garrison of New Jersey, Julie (Nathan) Adams of Michigan, Jared Garrison of Texas, and Joel Garrison of Texas; grandchildren Brad (Amy) Garrison, Jacob (Megan) Garrison, Hannah (Adam) Banks, Lukas (Ally) Smith, Chloe Garrison, Abigail Adams, Chase Adams, Sage Adams, and Aaron Garrison on the way; and great grandchildren Easton, Callan, and Baylor Banks, and Noah Garrison.

A memorial service for Dr. Charles Garrison will be held at 3:00 pm on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at San Jose Church of Christ, located at 6233 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL. The service can also be viewed live online at https://subspla.sh/2bc24vf. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the India Children’s Home Fund which he personally and passionately supported. Funds may be sent to Lake Orion Church of Christ, 1080 Hemingway, Lake Orion, MI 48360 or through PayPal at www.paypal.me/lochurchofchrist.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgmandarin.com for the Garrison family.