Garrison H. Davidson Jr.

Garrison Holt Davidson Jr., 82, died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 in Ithaca after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.

Gary was born on December 12, 1935 in Newburgh, New York to Lt. Gen. Garrison "Gar" Davidson and Verone Greunther Davidson when they were first stationed at West Point. The family lived in many places over the years from Hawaii to Washington D.C. At Cornell University, Gary was a member of the varsity baseball team, Phi Delta Theta, and Navy ROTC. Upon graduation, he served in the Pentagon for two years. He married his first wife Janet Toll and they settled in Los Angeles in 1959. He married Marjan (Janie) Carasik in 2003.

Gary was a fantastic father to his children, always encouraging their interests and sharing his own boyish enthusiasm for sports. He coached their Little League and other sports teams. He touched the lives of many young people who have now passed Gary's unique legacy of kind fatherly instruction to their own children. He taught them to win and lose with equal grace. Gary continued his passion for athletics all his life. For many years, he joyfully played on his adult sons' slow pitch softball team on the dusty diamonds of Los Angeles. He also played a great game of tennis into his later seventies.

Gary spent his working career as a financial auditor for several companies, eventually retiring from Iron Mountain Records Management in 2003. He was proud of his forty years of service as a board member of the International Institute of Los Angeles. This is a large organization dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants get a good start and feel welcome in their new country. Gary delighted in the community of St. Brendan's Catholic Church and the activities of its Men's Club.

At his 45th Cornell reunion in 2003, he met classmate Marjan (Janie) Carasik, who had been a widow for three years. She possessed the same kind spirit, community values, and dedication to family that he did. For three weeks Gary asked, "If I asked you to marry me, would you say yes?" Finally her response came: "If I said yes, would you marry me?" That fall, Gary and Janie were married in South Egremont, Massachusetts surrounded by all of their children. Each was lovingly welcomed into the other's family. Gary delighted in reprising his role of doting grandfather with Janie's grandchildren. Gary often said, "I'm so glad we married when we were still so young!"

After spending four active, precious, and joyful years in South Egremont, Janie and Gary moved to Kendal at Ithaca. Gary cherished his City Club membership and the friends and activities at Kendal and beyond. He attended weekly mass at St. Catherine of Siena parish almost without fail. He was always welcomed warmly. Gary and Janie were likewise welcomed into Temple Tikkun V'Or.

Gary's health challenges became clear in 2010. Later in 2015, as his health deteriorated further, he needed far more care than his wife could provide at home. He moved to Cascadilla House and later to Owasco (both at Kendal) Members of the Kendal staff were so able to see the human being as separate from the disease. We are forever grateful for their gentle care.

Fr Joe Marcoux, Rabbi Walt and our children were at his bedside in Gary's last days, each bringing blessings, prayers and peace.

Gary is survived by his wife, Marjan Schneider Carasik, his children, Karen (Jerry) Barnett, Garr Davidson, Greg (Helen Wilmot) Davidson, Jennifer Davidson, his children acquired by marriage, Rimme (Jonathan) Buck, Lauren (Christopher Norman) Carasik, and Michael Jaffe, as well as his grandchildren, Michael and Evan Barnett, Jane and Catherine Davidson, Rory and Tierna Davidson, Zoë and Alea Buck, and Emily, Maya, Anna, and Elijah Norman. Gary is also survived by all his siblings, Tom (Connie) Davidson, Alan "Skip" Davidson, Linda Hurst, Bonny (Ken Durell) Davidson, and Gail Davidson.

Our family welcomes your memories and stories about Gary and would love to hear from you. He will be remembered by us as being steadfast and rock solid. He always had a twinkle in his eye. He was one of the kindest men we have known.

Rabbi Brian Walt said it best:

"He was such a good man and it is so appropriate that he died on a day of such profound meaning to him. His goodness was rooted in his Christian faith."

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gary's memory to The Garrison Holt Davidson, Jr. Fund at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 309 Siena Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850 or the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, 90 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016. For future information, please see Bang's Funeral Home at www.bangsfuneralhome.com.

In springtime the family will gather in Los Angeles for a celebration of his life.

He loved and is loved.
Long may he wave