Dr. Burres W. Garrison Jr., 92, passed away Friday, July 1, 2016. Funeral: 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. John's Episcopal Church. Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Greenwood. Burres was born April 24, 1924, in Atlanta, Ga., to Dr. B.W. Garrison, DDS, and Sarah Grace Chestnut Garrison. He graduated from Paschal High School in 1943 and married his high school sweetheart, June Knepper Garrison; they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 29. He was a Fort Worth dental surgeon, an active member of the political and civic community serving on the Air Power Council, All Saints Hospital and vice-chief of the surgery staff at Harris Methodist Hospital. Capt. Garrison was a dental director of the U.S. Public Health Service. The Captain's military career began June 7, 1943, during World War II as a private in the U.S. Army. During the battle of Okinawa, Staff Sgt. Garrison saw action in the Sawtooth Ridge-Chocolate Drop Mound area near Naha, Okinawa. After he immediately joined the Army Reserves in 1945. He attended Texas Christian University and received a bachelor's of science degree form Texas Wesleyan with majors in chemistry-biology and obtained his doctorate in dental surgery from Baylor University College of Dentistry in 1953. Dr. Garrison maintained the Garrison Family Practice that was established in 1900 until he retired in 2000. He interned at the U.S. Marine Hospital (USPHS) in New Orleans where he received his commission as a lieutenant. He was promoted to captain in 1981. Military awards and decorations include the Army Air Force Medal of Proficiencies, the Armed Soldiers Good Conduct medal and Bronze Star, the American Campaign Medal, the Asia-Pacific Campaign Medal with bronze star, the World War II Victory Medal, U.S. Public Health Service Individual Citation Medal and the Armed Force Reserve Ribbon. Dr. Garrison was an organizing member of Fort Worth Transit Authority and the metroplex fixed-rail plan. He served on re-election committee for his wife, The Honorable June Knepper-Garrison, assessor/collector for Tarrant County. Dr. Garrison was a past president of Fort Worth Cosmopolitan Club, Toastmasters Club, Holy Family School Board of the Diocese of Dallas and chairman of the Dental Society Advisory Board to Tarrant County Junior College Oral Hygiene and Dental Assistant School, American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association and Fort Worth District Dental Society, president of the Fort Worth chapter of American College of Dentistry and International College of Dentistry, a Fellow of Academy of General Dentistry. Burres was also a 32nd-degree Mason who cared for the aged Masons at a clinic founded by his grandfather in 1914, the Masonic Home for Children and the Edna Gladney Home. He was member of the Riodotto Club, a charter member of Colonial Country Club, and The Breakfast Club. Burres was preceded in death by brothers, William Erwin Garrison and David Otis Garrison; sister, Charlotte Garrison Perry; and brother-in-law, Joe Clingman. Survivors: Wife, June Knepper Garrison; children, June Garrison Carruth and husband, Johnny Bob, Burres W. Garrison III and wife, Glenda, Jan Garrison Hiatt and husband, Winston, and John Michael Garrison Sr.; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; siblings, Grace Garrison Clingman and Corinne Garrison McCully and husband, Paul; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Garrison and Alicia Garrison; and brother-in-law, Don Perry.
Published in Star-Telegram on July 3, 2016