John Wayne Garrison

Mr. John Wayne Garrison was born January 16, 1941. He was born at the Hyden Hospital in Hyden, Kentucky. John Wayne is the son of the late, Marcus Garrison and the late, Oultia Napier Garrison. He passed away Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at the St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. He was 83 years old. John Wayne was a life long resident of Leslie County. He attended the Essie Christian Missionary Alliance Church & the Upper Grassy Branch Pentecostal Church.

John Wayne was retired from the US Forest Service as a Forest Technician. He loved his job, which included fire control, forest management and annual trips out west to fight fires. He had a lot passions, including spending time outdoors, gardening, fishing, travel, antiques, and classic automobiles. He was very affable and loved talking with old friends and new friends. Since he wasn’t able to walk long distances, he would always find a bench somewhere and in every instance he would make a new friend before he left. He was a special person that animals and children always seem to gravitate to.

Most important to John Wayne was his family and faith. He loved spending time with his family and friends. He was a wonderful husband to Lois for almost 62 years, he was the best father to Shawn, and Papaw to Kelsey.

John Wayne is preceded in death by his beloved parents, Marcus & Oultia Napier Garrison, brother, Roy Lee Garrison, mother-in-law & father-in-law, Juanita & Troy Smith, brothers-in-law, Vernon Ray Smith, Randy Morgan, Ray Slusher, Dennis Feltner and Edmond Collett, sisters-in-law, Bobbie Jean Garrison and Edith Collett, a host of nieces & nephews & special friend, Lonzo Morgan.

He leaves the following relatives surviving; his loving & devoted wife of 61 years, Lois Smith Garrison, Essie, KY., one cherished son, Shawn Garrison & wife, Rhonda, Manchester, KY, one treasured granddaughter, Kelsey Garrison Hazelwood & husband, Hunter, Lexington, KY, two brothers, Ronald Garrison & wife, Merinda, London, KY. and Greg Garrison & wife, Teena, Essie, KY, two sisters, Kaye Smith, Essie, KY and Helen Morgan, Hyden, KY, brothers-in-law, Wendell Smith & wife, Brenda, Essie, KY and John D. Smith & wife, Brenda, Essie, KY, sisters-in-law, Joan Feltner, Essie, KY and Kathy Smith, Essie, KY, special friends, Murile Morgan & wife, Elaine, Michael Feltner and Betty Morgan and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins other relatives & friends survive.

Services:

Funeral: Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 1:00 P.M. at the Upper Grassy Branch Pentecostal Church at Essie, Kentucky

Ministers: Pastor Patrick Morgan and John Newell

Interment: Albert Morgan Cemetery, Stinnett, Kentucky

Pallbearers: Jonathan Smith, Eddie Dean Smith, Marcus Smith, Gary Maggard, Roy Lee Garrison, Robby Garrison, Cory Brock, Bill Feltner, James Hackworth and Bobby Smith

Honorary Pallbearers: Ronald Garrison, Greg Garrison, John D. Smith, Wendell Smith, Murile Morgan and Michael Feltner

Visitation: Friday, August 2, 2024 at 6:00 P.M. at the Dwayne Walker Funeral Home, Hyden, KY and Sat. August 3rd at 12:00 Noon at the Church