William Garrison

William Blair Garrison, Sr died October 8th, 2024, peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 18, 1937, in Gainesville, Florida, but grew up in Albany, Georgia. Bill had an idyllic childhood, raised by not only devoted parents, David Warren Garrison, Sr & Evelyn Blair Garrison, but also by his Uncle & Aunt, Willet & Carrow Binion.
His childhood and teenage years were spent in Albany public schools where he excelled and made life-long friends. He often rode the train from Albany to Panama City, Florida to visit and fish with his grandparents there, Ann & Clarence Honegger. Bill also spent boyhood years hunting & fishing at his uncle's camp on Lake Iamonia. He rode motorcycles, remodeled cars, and learned to play the saxophone.
Graduating in 1956 from Albany High School, Bill was President of his senior class, a four-year honor graduate, member of several civic clubs and in the band. He established a popular jazz band, the Barons, who played at school & area functions and continued to play professionally throughout his college years.
Continuing his education, he attended & graduated with honors from Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1960-the last class before the school was officially known as Auburn. Majoring in Agricultural Science, he was a member of Alpha Gama Rho, honor society and Delta Sigma Phi, fraternity. His love and loyalty to Auburn have been a major part of his life, watching every game & wearing the colors, and shouting "War Eagle" with his sons and grandchildren.
At the end of his senior year, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Sasser, and began his family. Their marriage lasted 66 years and ended with the untimely death of Ruth on June 30, 2024.
Bill took over the management of Whitehill Plantation, near Albany, GA. He served as President of the Dougherty County Farm Bureau and was a leading farmer in the county. In 1965, Bill was recruited as a salesman for International Chemicals & Minerals Corp. (IMC) and moved to Madison, Florida. Thus began a new career with transfers to Pensacola, FL., Hartford, AL. and Tallahassee, FL. During the years with IMC, Bill was constantly achieving promotions & awards. At this point, however, when the company wanted to move him further up the corporate ladder, his family had established roots in Tallahassee and decided to remain. Bill became not only a real estate broker but also began working on a certified building contractors' business. And during that time, he bought Sureketch Lure Company, a fishing lure company, and patented as the only lure with a "locking collar". He enjoyed promoting the fishing industry through his yearly support of The Big Bend Saltwater Classic Tournament. He subsequently worked with several local contractors, again receiving top awards, notably the American Builders Award for top salesman presented in Hawaii.
In June of 1988, Garrison Design and Construction, Inc. was formed, and Bill dedicated his life to its success, adding a metal roofing division as an affiliate business in 2003. All three of his sons worked in the construction business with him and while his youngest, Steve, chose a computer-based field outside of construction, his other two sons, Mike (President) and Buddy (Vice-President), helped Bill achieve distinguished success with his construction company, along with all their employees that Bill respected and loved as a second family. His office manager, Debbie Smith (Vice-President), was like a daughter and he considered another key employee, Dustin Lord (Vice-President), "his fourth son".
Other than fishing, Bill's hobbies included being a great chef, owning several boats, ATV's, a hover craft, Go-devil's, and offshore fishing boats. He loved his dogs-several labrador retrievers-and two little dogs, Pedro, and Puddles. Travels included trips to Bermuda, the Appalachians, the Keys, Montana, Wyoming and the Canadian Rockies and a memorable salmon fishing trip to Alaska. Favorite places were his Black River Lodge at the Econfina River, Ibis Point at Carrabelle and his grandmother's 1950's cottage in Panama City Beach, FL. The best times were always fishing with his sons.
Bill is pre-deceased by his wife of 66 years, Ruth Sasser Garrison, brother, David Warren Garrison, Jr. (wife-Nancy Castleberry Garrison) and parents, David Warren Garrison Sr. and Evelyn Blair Garrison. He is survived by his sons Buddy (William B. Garrison, Jr) (wife- Debby Bryson), Mike (Charles M. Garrison) (wife-Cheryl Maud) and Steve (Steven Binion Garrison) (wife-Laura Miller), six grandchildren, Diane Langston (Daniel), Carrow Lamb (Josh) and Michael Garrison (Laurel Griffin), Annalyn, Evelyn and Bin Garrison. In addition, he has three great-grandchildren, Gemma and Travis Langston and Charlie Lamb.
He will be remembered as a hard worker and dedicated businessman, a great father who loved his family. Bravely fighting illnesses for the last 10 years of his life, he was grateful for the support and love of his most beloved caregiver, his wife, who orchestrated his care with numerous caregivers and hospice personnel.
Beggs Funeral Home will oversee the arrangements, and memorial services will be held on November 14, 2024, 11AM at Beggs Funeral Home in Tallahassee, FL. Contributions may be made to Auburn University or Big Bend Hospice.
When it came to life-based decisions, Bill always chose family first and did the right thing. As Hemingway said in The Old Man & The Sea –
"He was beautiful, and he stayed."