OBITUARY: Arlene Garrison

Arlene Garrison passed away on Jan. 1, 2023 at age 60 in Iola surrounded by her family, Glen, Cheyenne and Montana.

She was born May 11, 1962, to Glenn and Retta Smith. She grew up helping her dad on the family farm in Moran, Kan. She graduated from Marmaton Valley High School where she was proud to be the school’s wildcat mascot. Arlene proudly attended Pittsburg State University (“Once a Gorilla Always a Gorilla”) where she received her degree in accounting. After college, she was a government auditor in Wichita until she met a sun-tanned farmhand. After a proposal in an MF860 combine, she married her sweetheart Glen Garrison (the sun-tanned farmhand) in 1988. They lived in Garden City, where she started her 30-year career in banking eventually moving to Wichita and working her way up to bank VP. Glen and Arlene made their home in Newton, where they raised their two daughters. In 2019, Glen and Arlene retired to her family farm in Moran.

Her joys in retirement were her sun-tanned farmhand and her two rescue pit bulls Coulter and Millie. She was always so happy to have saved them and give them a fun, carefree life on the farm. Arlene always enjoyed making various crafts for gifts, reading on her Kindle, and advocating for equality and social justice.

Arlene beat cancer 13 years ago, but the heavy radiation caused continuously increasing health issues, eventually wearing out her body. Throughout all the medical issues, she continued to look at the positive and always had something funny to say to lighten the mood.

She is survived by her husband Glen Garrison, her daughters Cheyenne and Montana Garrison, her parents Glenn and Retta Smith, and her sisters Joyce Smith and Tricia Knoll.

The celebration of life will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, 1200 Boyd Ave, Newton, with a luncheon following. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with ACARF, Allen County Animal Rescue Facility. Please send these donations to the Petersen Funeral Home, 215 N. Main St., Newton, KS 67114.

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