Cover photo for Dorrell E. Garrison's Obituary
Dorrell E. Garrison Profile Photo
1929 Dorrell 2003

Dorrell E. Garrison

March 9, 1929 — March 15, 2003

Lynn Center, Illinois Dorrell Garrison, 74 of Lynn Center, Illinois, died Saturday, March 15, 2003, at the Fort Armstrong in Rock Island, where he had been living for the past six weeks. Services are 1 p.m. Wednesday at Trimble Funeral Home, Coal Valley, with Rev. Charles Cunningham officiating. Burial is in National Cemetery on the Rock Island Arsenal where Moline American Legion Post #246 will present military honors. Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Beulah Presbyterian Church, Orion, or Bridgeway Inc., Galesburg. Dorrell was born March 9, 1929, in Wayne County, Illinois, the son of Amos and Laura (Fry) Garrison. He married Eleanor Kammerman on May 30, 1952, in Orion. He served in the U. S. Navy during the Korean War. He was employed for 36 years by the U. S. Department of Defense. The majority of his career was spent as the legendary curator for the John M. Browning Museum on the Rock Island Arsenal for 35 years, retiring in 1984. He was known for his gift in identfying and helping save treasures of small arms, weaponry, guns, and museum pieces of all ages. After retirement, he did road work for Lynn Township from 1988 to 2002. Mr. Garrison was an avid historian and has a great appreciation for his country and all those veterans who served. He enthusiastically served over three decades as a Civil War Re-enactor in the Union Army with the rank of Captain in the 12th Illinois, Company D, and belonged to the Sons of the Union Veterans Reserve. He was a member of Beulah Presbyterian Church, Orion, American Legion Post, Opheim, Rock Island County Historical Society, and Civil War Round Table. He volunteered his time and efforts with transporting veterans to the VA hospital, helped with local food pantries, and donated blood on a regular basis. He chaired the Memorial Committee for all veteran observances on the Rock Island Arsenal for many years, and worked on the Hero Street Memorial. Dorrell is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eleanor; six children and spouses, Brad Garrison of Streamwood, Illinois, Melissa Moeller of Lynn Center, Danny and Frances Garrison of San Diego, California, Todd Garrison of Kewanee, Illinois, Douglas and LeAnn Garrison of Rock Island, and Matthew Garrison of Davenport; 11 grandchildren, Mindy and Jesse Garrison, Jeremy and Erica Moeller, Alexa and Zachary Harris, Clifton Garrison, Samantha, Caleb and Michaela Garrison, and Atticus Garrison; four great-grandchildren, Felicia Garrison, Brady Moeller, Eleanor Jacobs, and Logan VanWatermeulen; brothers and sisters-in-law, Connie and Irma Garrison of East Moline, and Landis and Betty Jean Garrison of Coal Valley; and sisters and a brother-in-law, Jean Anderson of Carbon Cliff, and Arlene and Raymond Fry of Coal Valley. He was preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family by clicking 'Guestbook' on the left. END OF OBITUARY

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