Susan Garrison

Susan Keene Garrison passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27th, surrounded by her children. She was born in Indiana in 1946, after her father returned from World War II. During her childhood, her family lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Illinois. She spent summers in Maine at Camp Three Pines, and graduated from Barrington High School in Lake County, Illinois, in 1964. 

Susan graduated from Lawrence University in Wisconsin in 1968 as a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and began her teaching career in Wisconsin. In 1973, she earned a Master’s degree in Education from Mississippi State University, where she was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. In 1974, she moved to South Korea and taught at Seoul American High School. The following year, she taught in Texas and then returned to teach in Wisconsin before moving to New York City, and ultimately settling in Englewood, New Jersey.

Susan started teaching high school mathematics at Dwight-Englewood School in 1980, where she met her husband, Lionel. After seventeen years at Dwight-Englewood, she joined the faculty at the Horace Mann School. During her time at Horace Mann, she served as the chair of the Middle Division Math Department and was recognized with both the Bellet Award for excellence in teaching and the Lyall Dean Chair in Mathematics.

Susan’s love for teaching was evident throughout her career. She believed deeply in every student’s ability to succeed in mathematics and dedicated much of her time to supporting them beyond the classroom through tutoring and extra help. In a 2001 interview with the Horace Mann Record, Susan explained, “I don’t think there are certain children who are just good at math, and others who aren’t. I believe every kid can do math. It’s up to the teacher to find a way to help them, and the student to try as hard as they can.” Her students described her as enthusiastic, caring, and an exceptional teacher. Susan retired in 2019 after a 48-year career in education.

Beyond the classroom, Susan was an avid reader who loved swimming laps at her condominium in St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She also enjoyed puzzles, playing cards, and traveling. In 2021, she moved to The Vista in Wyckoff, New Jersey, becoming one of the first residents and taking on the role of head of the dining committee. 

Susan was predeceased by her parents, Charles E. Keene and Ruth Robb Keene; her brother Charles R. Keene; and her husband, Lionel Burton Garrison Jr. She is survived by her children, Catherine Garrison, Lionel Christopher Garrison, and Tamara Garrison; her nephew Robb Keene; and her sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

Susan will be remembered for her kindness, her humor, and her love for her family. 

Donations in memory of Susan may be made to:

Horace Mann School at 231 West 246 St. Bronx, NY 10471 (Gifts in his memory will go to the Financial Aid Fund). 

Dwight-Englewood School Annual Fund at 315 East Palisade Avenue Englewood, NJ 07631 to support student financial aid.

A remembrance for Susan will be announced at a later date.