Allen Garrison

Allen Kenneth Garrison, age 92, passed peacefully on April 19, 2024. Born in Lake Wales, Florida on October 24, 1931, to Allen N. Garrison and Kathryn E. Garrison. After attending primary and secondary school in Lake Wales, Allen attended Davidson College where he received his degree in Physics. He then went on to pursue his PhD in Physics at Duke University which he received in 1958. At Duke he met Sharon Stokes, they married October 28, 1958. During his younger years, Allen learned to play the bassoon and continued to play throughout his life and even attended bassoon camp while in his 80's. After working for the Naval Research Labs in Washington DC, Allen was hired by Emory University in 1959 as a professor of Physics. Allen and Sharon settled in the Druid Hills area where they lived for 35 years. Allen's passion for physics and teaching was evident in his 30 years at Emory where he served as department chairman and received the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984. After retiring from Emory in 1989, he joined the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) working in the Electro-Optical Systems Lab as a research scientist. He retired from GTRI in 1999. Allen's passion for teaching continued well into his 80's as he tutored many high school and college students throughout the Atlanta area, including several of his grandchildren. Throughout his life, Allen always enjoyed traveling. This included a one-year sabbatical in Stoke-On-Trent, England in the early 1970's. In addition to his constant desire to educate, Allen's hobbies included playing bassoon, gazing at stars, and spending time with his grandchildren. As a lifelong lover of music with a strong desire to foster music enrichment in the community, Allen was an active member of the Emory Friends of Music. In addition, Allen and Sharon were active members of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church Covenant Sunday School class where he served in multiple roles. In 2008, his oldest son John passed due to complications from multiple myeloma. Allen is survived by his wife, Sharon and their two children Anne O'Brien and David along with his sister Mary Kathryn Bielawa. In addition, Martha Garrison, David O'Brien and Nancy Garrison, spouses to David, Anne, and John. Allen loved his grandchildren: Kelsey and her husband Nate, Kathryn and her husband Elliott, Heather, Andrew, Ian, Megan, and Michael. Most recently he cherished his time with his great granddaughter Elayne. Allen will be remembered as a loving husband and father who was a constant presence and approached life with a calm confidence and a friendly smile. He was constantly striving to expand his knowledge and loved to teach, always energized by watching his family and students learn and grow. His family will miss him dearly as he is reunited with his son John. Allen's family invites you to celebrate his life at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on May 1 at 2pm with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Emory Friends of Music or Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church.