Garrison, Susan Elizabeth

Susan Elizabeth Garrison, 50, died peacefully at home on February 20, 2013, after a 2-year battle with Stage IV Glioblastoma Multiforme brain cancer. Susan earned her BS, MS, and MBA degrees from Virginia Tech. She began her 25 years of service to Blacksburg as its first horticulturalist, establishing the Landscaped Median Program and Downtown Hanging baskets; became Superintendent of Parks and Landscaping, and retired as the town’s first Environmental Manager. She helped establish Blacksburg’s Sustainability Week, Climate Protection Program, Energy Management Program, Community Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), Electronic Recycling Program and the NRV Livability Initiative. Susan was awarded the 2011 Virginia Municipal League’s Green Government Challenge Award, the 2009 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Blacksburg Environmental Management System Program, and the 2008 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Sustainability Week 2007. She was a founding board member of Sustainable Blacksburg and served on the board of the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals among many other organizations. Susan is survived by her loving and devoted life partner, Lisa Barroso. Susan is also survived by her father, Richard Garrison and wife, Doris, Charlottesville; mother. Gladys Wilson Stokes, VA Beach; and aunt, Linda Clements, Norfolk; four sisters, Sharyn and Leonard Walton, Norfolk, Robynn Stokes and John Ogert, VA Beach, Roslyn Garrison and Steve Kleiber, Blacksburg, Allison and Bruce Parker, Madison; three nieces, Nicole Garrison and Nick Kincade, South Mills, N.C., Casey and Sarah Parker, Madison; three nephews, Jessie Evans, VA Beach, Adam and Jack Kleiber, Blacksburg; and great-nephew, Asa Kincade, South Mills, N.C. Susan was also loved by her extended Barroso family, Mike, Peggy Cantrell; Mark, Ellen Manning, and Natalie; Elizabeth and Kevin Hampton, and sons, Rosco, twins, Wyatt and namesake Garrison; and Carrie and Mike Booth. Susan was preceded in death by her stepfather, Ron Stokes, paternal grandparents, Richard and Maggie Garrison, of Charlottesville, and maternal grandparents, Ida and Hobart Clements, of North Garden, Va. Services will be held at McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg, VA on Saturday, March 2, 2013. Family and friends are encouraged to visit from noon until the start of Susan’s Celebration Service at 1 p.m. Particularly meaningful memorials for Susan are UVA Cancer Center, Caring Bridge, Carilion Hospice; brain tumor research fund-raisers such as Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (The Gang Green Team of Univ of AZ); and environmental organizations such as Arbor Day Foundation. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.