Barbara Jo Garrison

Barbara Jo Garrison, 85, was called home to her heavenly father on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, in Levelland, Texas. A visitation for Barbara will be held Friday, September 13, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Resthaven’s Abbey Chapel, 5740 19th Street, Lubbock, Texas. A funeral service will occur at 2:00 PM, with Elgin Conner officiating, followed by a graveside committal service at Resthaven Memorial Park.

Barbara was born to James A. and Jo Manley in Seymour, Texas, on October 12, 1938. She married James Lester Garrison on June 9, 1956, who passed away in 2001 after 44 years of marriage. In 2005, she married Sam Hogwood who passed away in 2023. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ and served as a Sunday School teacher. She spent her later years with the 13th and K Church of Christ, Levelland. Barbara dedicated much of her life to education. She attended Lubbock High School and graduated from Roswell High School. Later, she obtained an associate’s degree from South Plains College. She also attended Texas Tech University where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education. Her academic prowess earned her positions in the Phi Theta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. She instilled the value of education into her family members, attending and celebrating every graduation.

She was a teacher at St. Michael’s Catholic School, Carver Pre-School, and Levelland High School. She taught Reading, English, and Sociology. She served Levelland schools for over 20 years. She cared deeply for her students and touched many lives. Before she was a teacher, she worked as a bookkeeper assisting her husband, Lester, as the Levelland distributor for the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. Her most valued role was being a mother.

In her spare time, she was a member of women’s clubs and book clubs. She also volunteered at the Levelland Covenant Hospital in retirement. Barbara lived in the same house in Levelland from 1969 until 2024. Continuing her mother’s legacy, she maintained a home of fellowship and celebration for her children and grandchildren. Generous in spirit, she hosted decades of Christmases, Thanksgivings, Easters, Mother’s Days, and birthdays. She even sent greeting cards on Halloween.

She was predeceased by her father, James A. Manley; her mother, Jo Manley Klock (Bunkin); her step-father, Sheldon Klock; her sister Marguerite Adair (Margie), her husband of 44 years, James Lester Garrison; her husband of 18 years, Sam Hogwood; and her grandson, Brandon Lee Garrison.

Left to cherish her memory are her children Bryan (Cindy) Garrison of Roswell, New Mexico, Jo Beth (Randy) Nichols of Sundown, Texas; her grandchildren Christopher (Sonia) Garrison of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Matthew (Nicole) Nichols of Princeton, Texas, Abby (Trevor) Quinn of Fort Worth, Texas, Lauren Nichols of Lubbock, Texas; and her great-granddaughter Aimilia Garrison of Albuquerque, New Mexico