Obituary of Anne M. Garrison
Anne M. Garrison passed away suddenly on Sunday, August 30, 2020 at Saint Clare’s Hospital in Dover. She had shared 58 years of unconditional love, infectious laughter, and unforgettable memories with family and friends. She leaves joyful memories to her beloved husband of 30 years, Charlie; her treasured children, Mary Jessica “Jesse” Garrison and her fiancé Kevin Sydnor, Deborah Nikole “Nikki” Garrison and her s/o Kenny Bell, and Robert James “Jimmy” Garrison and his s/o Sarah Sanderson; her loving step-children, Tara Frances Buñag and her husband Anthony and Charles Benjamin “Ben” Garrison and his wife Tahany; her cherished grandchildren, Thomas, Gavin, Colleen, CJ, and Madison “Madi”; her caring siblings, Stephen Hertig, Michael Hertig, and Margie LaMotte and her husband Rick; her faithful pup, Chewy; and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and dear friends.
Born and raised in Morristown to the late Joseph and Mary (Murray), she was one of four children to bless the Hertig household. After graduating from Bayley Ellard High School in Madison, Anne went on to earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Delaware Valley University in Pennsylvania. Anne made a very successful career for herself working for Travelers Insurance in Morristown for over 30 years.
A dedicated member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Denville, Anne taught CCD there for 20 years. She happily became the head of the Usher Ministry and continued to faithfully serve the 10am mass every Sunday as she managed the entire usher program. Anne could often be found helping out with a positive attitude at every St. Mary's hosted event. She and her husband Charlie were among the first to arrive and last to leave for the St. Patrick's Dinner, Parish Picnic, the Alumni breakfasts among other events. Whenever her "Uncle Jim" (Msgr. James Murray) needed help, she would eagerly raise one hand and grab Charlie with the other as she volunteered them for the task at hand. That was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to her contribution to her community; she truly was one in a million. Anne religiously volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and attended many walks for Multiple Sclerosis with her son, Jimmy, in addition to the countless times she was there for family and friends in need.
Above anything else, Anne was a devoted wife, nurturing mother, doting grandma or “Nanny”, loyal sister, and thoughtful friend. She married her soulmate, Charlie, on September 29, 1989 after being together for ten blissful years and has been loving life ever since. She was a Girl Scout Leader when her daughters were in the Girl Scouts and the sun rose and set on all of her grandchildren; they had a special and non-comparable bond. Quite the homemaker, always trying to better herself for her family, she enjoyed watching cooking shows, especially Guys Grocery Games and Chopped, and her guilty pleasure was watching Blue Bloods. We will never forget her sense of humor, selflessness, and compassion for others. Although we are deeply saddened by her passing, we take comfort in knowing we have the greatest guardian Angel watching out for us and our family.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 4th at 10 am at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 15 Myers Avenue, Denville. Relatives and friends are welcome to join us for a walkthrough visitation on Thursday, September 3rd from 2 - 6 pm at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville. In lieu of flowers donations are being accepted to St. Mary's Outreach Program - checks can be made payable to St. Mary's Community Outreach and sent to 15 Myers Avenue, Denville, NJ 07834. Please leave a condolence, light a candle, and share your favorite memory of Anne here to continue to cherish the incredible life she endowed with us.
**If you are unable to attend Mass on Friday, you will be able to watch it live, courtesy of Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church Denvile, N.J. YouTube Page, BY CLICKING HERE.** Link to livestream will begin when Mass begins at 10 am. **
“I’ll be talking to ya.” – Anne Garrison
