Kay Spainhour Garrison

Kay Spainhour Garrison passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Eno Pointe Assisted Living in Durham, North Carolina.

Mrs. Garrison was born in Winston-Salem, NC, on May 30, 1941, to the late Henry Edward and Helen Sides Spainhour. She graduated from Southwest High School in 1959. After high school, she briefly attended nursing school before marrying Mervin James Garrison on July 22, 1961. From their wedding day, she was a dedicated partner to Mervin by supporting his call to the ministry. This ministry journey allowed them to develop friendships within churches across Virginia, Florida and North Carolina. Mervin and Kay were married for 53 years before his death in 2015.

Throughout Kay’s life, she enjoyed sharing her love by sending numerous cards and letters to family and friends, visiting with Mervin and taking small vases of flowers from her garden, baking and cooking for others, praying incessantly, and always putting others before herself.

Despite the challenges dementia presented Kay in her later years of life, she maintained her sweet smile and loving spirit until the very end.

In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her sister, Ann Spainhour Craft.

Mrs. Garrison is survived by her two children, James Allen Garrison (Ruth) of Arden and Dawn Garrison Atkinson (Robb) of Raleigh. One of her greatest joys was becoming a grandmother. What a terrific “Grandmommie” she was, providing her 4 grandchildren many happy and sometimes funny memories! Her grandchildren include Sarah Atkinson Krivsky (Andrew) of Todd, Jacob Garrison of Arden, Hannah Atkinson of Ashburn, VA and Second Lieutenant Nicholas Atkinson of Enterprise, AL. Kay was blessed with an earthly treasure of two great-grandchildren, Levi and Jack Krivsky.

A celebration of life will be held at 11am on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Quaker Gap Baptist Church in King, NC, with Rev. Gerald Jones officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:45-10:45am at the church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Baptist Children’s Homes of NC, PO Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27361 or Baptists on Mission, PO Box 1107, Cary, NC 27512.

Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is serving the family of Mrs. Garrison.