Ray H. Garrison, age 89, attorney, author, lecturer, public servant, story-teller and beloved husband and uncle, died at Advocate South Suburban Hospital on May 23, 2012. He was a long-time resident of Flossmoor, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

Mr. Garrison was born August 6, 1922 in Allen County Kentucky to Emmett Washington Garrison and Ollie Irene Keen. He was the youngest of eight children, all deceased. He married Eunice Ann Bolz October 7, 1961 in Decatur, Illinois. Ray attended schools in Allen County Kentucky graduating from high school in 1940. He graduated with a B.A. degree from Western Kentucky University, a M.A. degree from the University of Kentucky, and a J.D. degree from the University of Chicago.

He was licensed to practice law in Kentucky and Illinois and admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Customs Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court. His biographical sketch appears in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. He served as Special Assistant, Special Attorney, and Assistant Regional Counsel for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and as a trial lawyer for the US Government for several years, before becoming the general tax attorney for Navistar International Corporation formerly International Harvester Company.

Ray was elected to the Illinois Constitutional Convention Committee on revenue and finance (1969-1970), and was a commissioner on the Illinois Racing Board for 14 years. Since 1990 Ray served as the corporate counsel for Balmoral Park Race Track. He consulted with Federal, state, and local government entities through the years in various areas of his expertise including taxation, finance, and the re-organization of municipal governments.

He was the author of several publications about law, taxes, horse racing, and Kentucky history and frequently lectured about these subjects. He was a lifetime member of the Kentucky Historical Society, the Filson Historical Society, a founding member of the Allen County Kentucky Historical Society, a member of the Mecklenberg Historical Association, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society, and the Cumberland Valley Civil War Heritage Association. Ray was a natural story-teller, drawing upon his extensive knowledge of history in general and in particular Kentucky history and its participation in the Civil War.

At the time of his passing he was writing a book about the Civil War and guerilla warfare in the borderlands of south-central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. Ray was an active member of the St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Homewood, Illinois. He taught Sunday School at St. Andrews and often used the The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren as a study guide. Through the years Ray mentored and helped many young people though difficult situations and decisions sharing his wide knowledge of the law, history, and life with them.

He is survived by his wife, Eunice Bolz Garrison and nine nephews and nieces, Margaret Garrison Allen of Lexington, Kentucky, Betty Garrison Cox Pelle of Jacksonville, Florida, Patty Garrison Morris of Milton, Florida, Joyce Faye Garrison of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Hoy Wayne Garrison of Big Canoe, Georgia, Dr. Delroy Hire of Pensacola, Florida, Charlotte Garrison Rogish of Novelty, Ohio, Sondra Garrison Sparks of Dunwoody, Georgia, and Jerry Hobart Garrison of Allen County Kentucky.