Peggy was born on January 9, 1945 in Santa Rosa. She was the fourth of eight children.  Some of her early childhood memories were climbing trees, playing in the creek and helping her mom with chores on the family property just outside of Cotati.  One of her fondest memories was visiting her grandfather, Charlie Gaither, who owned a small grocery store in Cotati. He was very kind to her and would give her pickles and raw hotdogs, which were Peggy’s favorite.  He also gave her lots of candy. In 1962 Peggy met her soon to be husband Charles Garrison at her best friend Patti Nylander’s house in Cotati. They were married in Sonoma on November 18, 1962.

Peggy gave birth to her first child Charles David in 1963, followed a year later by Patricia Marie, and six years later Daniel Warren was born.  She loved being a mother and raised her children with lots of kindness and love. 

Peggy worked as a school teacher’s aide at Morris Elementary School in McKinleyville for a number of years. Soon after she left the school she started The Flower Stop in the McKinleyville Shopping Center where her creativity shone through in creating beautiful bouquets and dried flower arrangements. She had many loyal customers. Later she owned and operated the Ferndale Bath Works.  She made a lot of friends with other business owners and customers in that beautiful Victorian town.  

Throughout all of her life Peggy was full of creativity.  She loved making cakes for special occasions in the form of tacos, basketballs, hamburgers, etc to fit the occasion or the recipient’s interest.  She also excelled at quilting, macramé, crocheting, calligraphy, candle-making, pottery, etc.  She was great at any hobby that she took an interest in.  She also loved to pick blackberries to make jellies and cobblers.  All of the family, including close family friend Steve DeMartin, has fond memories of the Saturday evening barbecues with cobbler and homemade ice cream.   

Another one of Peggy’s favorite things was cutting firewood in the local mountains with her husband and children. She was the most efficient wood stacker ever! Two well-earned beers were placed to chill in Noisy Creek on the drive up so as to be enjoyed with a sandwich on the way out with a truckload full of wood. 

The whole family feels an emptiness at Peggy’s passing which can never be filled. We were all so blessed to have her in our lives. She had a golden heart.

Peggy leaves behind her husband of 60 years, Charles Mathew Garrison, daughter Patricia Garrison, sons Charles Garrison (Anita) and Daniel Garrison, grandson Trevor Garrison, sisters Nancy Uzar, Gerry Lopus (Joe), Julie Nelson, brother Arnold Souza and friend Steve DeMartin. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth Gaither and Ethel Lucille Drake, sister Carol Sweeney, brothers Don Gaither and John Souza.

MOM

The fact that you are gone does not seem real,
You are very much alive in my heart.
I am so blessed to have had you as my Mom,
You filled my life with love from the start.

I hope you have found peace and happiness
After so much suffering to the end,
I love you so much my Mother and my dear, dear friend.

Services for Peggy were held at Sunrise Cemetery in Fortuna on September 23, 2022 on a beautiful sunny day.