Bill Jo Garrison,
Bill Jo Garrison
Bill Jo Garrison, 92, of Auburn, Washington, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2023, following a short illness. A celebration of life will be held sometime in June at the Rio Verde Estates clubhouse in Auburn.
Bill was born in Juanita, Nebraska on July 7, 1930 to Vera and Robert Garrison. He was the youngest of 9 children. His grade school years were spent in Worland, Wyoming before his parents moved to Renton, WA in the 1940’s where his dad, a carpenter, built houses in the Renton Highlands. 
Bill graduated from Renton High School in 1948, served 4 years in the National Guard Military Police, and joined Boeing in 1948.
Bill spent 38 years in various roles within Boeing. In 1962 he and his family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota as part of the crews who supported the installation of Minuteman missiles at the various Air Force bases in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. He lived in Rapid City, SD, Minot ND, Great Falls MT, Grand Forks ND, and Cheyenne, WY during the 15 years out in the field. During that time, he got his pilot license and joint ownership of a Mooney airplane. He loved flying, Western music, and the friendships which formed during those years.
Bill returned to Renton, Washington in the mid-1970’s until he retired from Boeing in 1986. His retirement years were spent playing golf, traveling, following the horse races, playing cribbage with the Auburn Eagles, and educating his friends about his favorite Western singers/bands.
He was preceded in death by his parents: his wives Barbra Miller and Audrey Garrison; his siblings Leah Tibbles, Logan Garrison, Isla May Kent, Bob Garrison, Madge Starks, Libby Shaw, Jack Garrison, and Dayle Garrison; nieces and nephews Brett Tibbles and Vicki Olson.
He is survived by his daughter Shannan Tanner (Denver, CO); step-daughter Sandy Irwin and her husband Curt Irwin (Minot ND) who traveled through much of the Boeing field work with him, their children Audra Atherton and Nikki Schmidt and their families; nieces and nephews Terry Garrison, Ron Starks, Jil Clayton, Jan and Dave Ginestra, Rob Garrison, Tammy and Bob Holmes, Tracy and Gary Hibert, Kim and Rich Edwards, and many grand nieces and nephews and their children.
The family would also like to acknowledge the great family and friends who filled Bill’s life in his later years: neighbors Betty Cannon, Chuck Agnor, Sandy McCready; the Taco Tuesday crew of Jan and Izzy Nagel and Mary Sue and Dean Kallander; the cribbage friends from the Auburn Eagles; Diane Garrison, Gene Terry, Cleo and Shorty Forgaard , Donovan, Dave and Tina Jewett, TJ and John Wiedemann, Shannon Schuett, and the caregivers Senait and Caren at Bright Light Adult Group Home in Renton who truly brightened his days the last couple of months. .
5 Responses to “Bill Jo Garrison,”
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Bill was a wonderful friend and will be missed by everyone – Rest in Peace Bill until we meet again.
Bill was a good man and mentor to many. R.I.P. – Bill
Bill was our step father-in-law he will be missed dearly. He helped a lot of people in the years of employment with Boeing including myself . Over the years, I remember flying with him and his money also helping him wax it yearly because I was younger and could do the underside of the wings. We had a lot of good memories camping. I made a few trips to Arizona in the winter time . Sandy also mentioned that he bought her her a toy collie when they first met in Minot. She had a lot of great memories throughout the years. He was so a great grandpa to our daughters, Nikki and Audra.
RIP. Bill
Bill was a great uncle who helped raising me,along with auntie Ike in Renton, befriended me in Minot AFB for 3 long winters and got me into facilities at Boeing in 1972. Many memories while we lived in Kent. He was truly one of the best of the garrison clan. He will be missed.
Bill was a great man. He and Grandma Audrey and I spent many years making and decorating Christmas cookies. Grandma would bake them and Bill and I spent many hours sitting at the table decorating cookies and talking about airplanes. Bill and Grandma Audrey would come to my Kentridge High School basketball and football games that I was cheerleader at and Bill would always wear his Green Jeans since our school colors were Green & Gold. I spent a lot of time with Bill and Audrey and he loved taking us to the street of dreams open houses. Audra and I and our cousins Lisa and Shannon Baehm spent a lot of time with Grandma Audrey and Bill and have so many fun memories. We will miss you, Bill.