Dr. George Walker “G.W.” Garrison Jr., age 82 of Estill Springs, passed away on April 23, 2022, after an extended illness. He was born on May 21, 1939, in Statesville, North Carolina to the late George Walker and Gladys (Bell) Garrison Sr.
Dr. Garrison graduated from Statesville High School in North Carolina. After high school, he went on to earn his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University. After graduation in 1966, he moved his family from North Carolina to Tullahoma, Tennessee to work for Sverdrup Technology at AEDC. He spent fifteen years there where he worked on several MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) projects related to space and ground base power systems. In 1981, he decided he wanted to change directions towards academics and engineering education. He taught engineering for two years at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga then joined the University of Tennessee Space Institute faculty in 1983. At UTSI, he was project manager in the Energy Conversion Program and taught in the Engineering Management program. Dr. Garrison was part of a team at UTSI that proposed and won a contract for a NASA Space Commercialization Center. As a result, a nonprofit corporation called Center for Space Transportation and Applied Research (CSTAR) was formed. Dr. Garrison went full time as assistant director then later named executive director of the center. In 2001 and 2002, Dr. Garrison was UTSI’s chief operating officer and two years later named director of a statewide Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This was a National Science Foundation sponsored project with participation from universities across the state. In 2005, Dr. Garrison was designated as “Professor of Emeritus” when he retired from full time status. He continued to teach short courses for the University of Tennessee for several years.
In his spare time, Dr. Garrison loved to read various books, studying history, learning, researching, teaching, boating, walking in his neighborhood, and attending any sporting events his grandchildren were apart of. He was a mentor for Tennessee Promise and helped conduct mock interviews for junior and senior high school students at the local high school.
Dr. Garrison and his beloved wife, Carole, were married for nearly sixty years. They loved traveling internationally and took many memorable trips after retirement. They also enjoyed exploring the United States in their RV. He and Carole were active members of the First Christian Church in Tullahoma and later Owens Chapel Church in Franklin County.
In addition to his parents, Dr. Garrison is preceded in death by his wife, Carole Mayfield Garrison.
He is survived by his daughter, Renee (Glen) Hyde of Estill Springs, Tennessee; son, Walker (Nita) Garrison of Bulverde, Texas; granddaughter, Camille Garrison of Bulverde, Texas; grandsons, Hunter Culbertson of Bend, Oregon, Kenton Culbertson of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Gavin Garrison of Bulverde, Texas. Also blessed to be a grandfather to, Mary Hyde (Travis) Langdon of Midland, Texas; Corinne Hyde (Chuck) Plumhoff of Houston, Texas, Alan (Jensen) Hyde of Chattanooga, Tennessee; great-grandchildren, Sally, Kate and Connor Langdon, George, Louisa and Mae Plumhoff, Glen Harper and Hart Hyde; brother, James (June) Garrison of Houston, Texas.
Visitation for Dr. Garrison will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2022 from 11:00am – 12:00pm at Moore-Cortner Funeral Home. Funeral service for Dr. Garrison following at 12:00pm from the chapel of Moore-Cortner Funeral Home with Celebrant Scot Bradford officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dr. Garrison’s memory to the Carol Garrison Nurse Scholarship Fund, Motlow State Community College c/o Sharon Bateman, P.O. Box 8500 Lynchburg, Tn 37352; Alzheimer’s Tennessee, 207 North Jackson Street, Tullahoma, TN 37388 or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.
The Family would like to express their gratitude and appreciation to Parkview Senior Living Community (Tullahoma) and Lifecare Center of Tullahoma for the love, care and kindness given to Dr. Garrison during his stay at both facilities.
Moore-Cortner Funeral Home 300 1st Ave NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931)967-2222
