Rod Garrison, 73, has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved him.
What follows is not the whole story, but a thread of it.
Rod's story began in 1947, and unfolded across the years that followed.
There is no greater gift than the one a parent gives by simply being present.
Rod "Grizz" Garrison, 73, died Thursday, July 22, 2021 at Dougherty Hospice, Sioux Falls. Memorial services will be at 2:00pm Saturday, July 31, 2021 at the Chancellor Reformed Church with private family burial at the Salem Cemetery, rural Irene, SD. Service will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/Chancellor- Reformed-Church. Visitation will be on Friday with family present from 4-7pm at the church. Arrangements by Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home. Memorials maybe directed to the Chancellor Reformed Church or SD Junior Golf Association Scholarship Fund. Rodney Allen Garrison was born on November 2, 1947 at Urbana, MO to Bert and Edna (Sneller) Garrison. He grew up at Rock Rapids, IA where he attended school and went on to graduate from Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, SD with football and track scholarships. He taught and coached at three different schools before accepting the line coach position at O'Gorman High School, a position that he held for 22 years. In addition to that he accepted the head girl's golf coaching duties for 31 years and amassed 12 state team titles. Later he added duties as coach of the boy's golf team and in 12 years led them to 5 state team titles. In 2015 Rod retired and accepted a position at Great Life Golf and Fitness as the director of corporate partners. During his teaching and coaching career, Rod received many awards. In 2007 he was selected as National High School Athletic Association Golf Coach of the Year and 7 years later Rod was enshrined in the National High School Coaches Athletic Association Hall of Fame. In 2017 Rod was inducted in the SD Football Coaches Hall of Fame. He developed lifelong friendships and mutual admiration with the football players that he coached, having taught them life lessons that when beyond the football field. Rod recently was honored to receive the SD Golf Hall of Fame Award, passing away before his ceremony, but he is now in a place where his rewards will be greater than anything here on earth. In true Grizz fashion he fought till the end just as he taught his athletes to do. One of his most proud achievements was the establishment of the Sioux Empire Junior Challenge in 2002. It was for boys and girls ages 7-18 and was held weekly in different golf courses in eastern SD. He ran this program for 14 years and was able to award a scholarship to not necessarily the best player, but the one that showed respect, integrity, sportsmanship and teambuilding. Rod was past president of the SD Coaches Association and served as a deacon and elder at the Chancellor Reformed Church. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Gayle; his children, Lori, Jon and Jackie (Don) Wages; stepsons, Jamie Boomgarden and Chad (Mike) Boomgarden; 8 well loved grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; a sister Roberta (Art) Flier; and brothers Pat (Sharon) Garrison and Earl (Shari) Garrison.
