Luke Alexander Garrison, of Millbrook, NY, passed away on Sunday, August 27th in Bremerton, WA. He was 23 years old.
Luke is survived by his mother and step father, Juliette Garrison Koch and Daniel Koch of Millbrook, NY; his father Patrick Garrison of Poughkeepsie, NY; his fiancé Allison Verhofstadt and their daughter Lucy Catherine of Silverdale, WA; brothers Spencer Garrison and Donovan Koch, sisters Arianna and Brooklyn Koch and numerous loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. Luke is also survived by his maternal grandmother Joan Garrison of Willingboro, NJ, and step-grandparents Valerie and Michael Koch of Naugatuck, CT.
Born on July 13, 1994 in New York, NY, Luke was a devout Catholic, an adoring father, talented performer, and devoted student. Luke attended St. Joseph’s School in Millbrook, NY, Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic High School in Poughkeepsie, NY and graduated in 2015 from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology on a pre-law track. Luke had recently started pursuing his law degree at Seattle University. Luke was long employed at Red Robin restaurants on both the East and West Coasts where he was promoted to manager before retiring in July to start law school.
In addition to Luke’s passion for God, learning, and providing for his family, Luke loved to be on the stage. Luke performed with various theatre companies in Connecticut and New York as well as the Washington DC and Virginia areas. He had a rich tenor voice that had the power to capture the audience’s attention in an instant. Combined with his incredible acting and dancing skills, he was a true “triple-threat” in the theatre.
Luke was a strong believer in the democratic process and published several articles on various political topics in the last couple years of his life. Luke was a principled man. He lived consciously through a set of principles that he never gave up an opportunity to fight for. His ability to listen, analyze, and develop opinions based on the truth and facts were the basis for his arguments and he was quickly becoming an established columnist with a growing number of followers.
Luke was an active and dedicated member of the Catholic Church, where he often performed as a soloist with various church choirs. But more than anything, Luke was a family man. He had never been more fulfilled than being a dad. Lucy was the light of his life. The sun rose and set around her. From a child, he was keenly aware of the bonds of family. But what made Luke extra special was that anyone whose heart was yearning for a connection became part of his “family”. No one was an outsider in Luke’s eyes. Everyone was important, but none more so than Lucy, Allison, and his little brother, Spencer. No one was prouder, more supportive, or reveled more in Spencer’s accomplishments than Luke.
Luke will be remembered as a devoted father and family man, an engaging performer, a scholar, and a leading figure in the community who positively touched the lives of so many people.
Calling hours are scheduled for 6:00p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 3, 2017 at 3270 Franklin Avenue in Millbrook, NY. The funeral mass is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Millbrook, NY. Christian burial will immediately follow at the St. Joseph’s Cemetery, with a reception to follow at the St. Joseph’s school. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Luke’s life.
