Carol A. Garrison

GARRISON, Mrs. Carol A. Kalamazoo, MI Died Friday evening August 3, 2007. Carol was born August 27, 1946 in Kalamazoo, Michigan a daughter of Bernard Jack and Eulah Worley. She had been a Kalamazoo area resident most of her adult life. She was employed at the Kalamazoo State Hospital for 30 years and was an active member of the Tower Family Credit Union, the Kalamazoo State Hospital E.A.P., AFSME Union, and the Employee Association which raised funds for indigent patients. Her life of service to others includes founding the Edison Neighborhood Single Parents Group, setting up support activities for children at the Edison Neighborhood Center, the Annual Bike Parade for area children, and C.A.R.E.S. providing support for victims of AID?s. She routinely worked at and donated to the Gospel Mission. In the late 1980?s, she accompanied her church group to Israel, where she spent a month walking the paths of Jesus? life. In 1990, she was recognized in the Kalamazoo Gazette for her work with Edison Crime Task Force, including Block Watch and National Night Out. In February 2002, she was recognized for her service to the Edison Outreach Ministry. After her car accident in 2002, in which she sustained a traumatic brain injury, she refused to sit down and be disabled. With great difficulty she relearned to performed daily living activities, to read, and to drive, She subsequently became active in the Kalamazoo brain injury support group and was a driver for the Michigan Enterprises for the blind. Seven years ago, she took a group of Sunday school children to Haiti to build a playground and to provide supplies to the children at the TB hospital. She made one outreach trip with her church to Appalachia, helping build structures and preserve food for the coming winter. She was in the process of preparing for a second trip to Appalachia this fall and had gathered several quilts and two boxes of hats, mittens, and scarves in preparation for that trip. She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by 4 children, William Joseph Worley Kim, Joann Weitz Jim, Doug Garrison and Kevin Garrison Nicole all of Kalamazoo; 8 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; extended family Margaret Allen of Tucson, AZ, Elizabeth Woodyard of Columbus, OH, Bonnie Spencer of Jackson, MI and their 4 children; and a brother, Edward Joseph Worley Diane of Crestline, OH. She was a shinning light in the lives she touched and will be dearly missed by all. Services will be held 1 o?clock Saturday from the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre Ave. Visitation will be 2-4 and 6-8pm Friday. Memorials may be directed to the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission.