Lynn Garrison

The spunky soul of Lynn Garrison has returned to heaven. Lynn, 80, took her last breath on June 14, 2025, after a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis. She was in her home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, with her children, Janel and Brian by her side.

Lynn Alma (Snyder) Garrison was born in Peru, Indiana, on June 30, 1944, the fourth child to Donald and Opal (Cattin) Snyder. Lynn grew up in Peru, graduating from Peru High School in 1962.

In 1968, she moved with her sister, Shirley, to Jackson, Wyoming, for the summer to work at the Ranch Shops. The two stayed in Jackson for several decades, partaking in all the activities the town had to offer, including dancing downtown and square dancing at the Elks Lodge. Lynn especially enjoyed attending the shows at Dirty Jacks, The Pink Garter, The Jackson Hole Playhouse, and the Bar-J Chuckwagon. She also loved to go hiking, fishing, and camping.

Lynn became a mother in 1970, and was able to be a stay-at-home mom for several years to her three children. She was very involved in Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. She enjoyed volunteering at the school and helping her children's teachers. She was also an active member of First Baptist Church.

Later, Lynn worked as a secretary for Dain Bosworth, Incorporated. When the business was going to relocate to another town, Lynn wanted to stay in Jackson. Her next position was as the radiology transcriptionist at St. John's Hospital, where she worked for 30 years, retiring in 2014.

Always an animal lover, Lynn had to deal with a menagerie of pets as a mom: dogs, cats, over a dozen hamsters, fish, birds, hermit crabs, and a poor little Garter snake that got out of its aquarium, was lost in the house, and survived a load of laundry in the washer.

Lynn had a bubbly personality and enjoyed having her girlfriends over for the occasional margarita party, with sounds of the blender and cackling laughter echoing down the hall. And she never met a stranger. If she was going in to "just check the mail" or "buy some milk", you knew you'd be waiting in the car for at least 30 minutes for her to visit with anyone and everyone she ran into.

Another activity Lynn loved was going for drives or rides with Shirley and the kids and singing along to all the tunes. But you had to be sure to bring a jacket, water, and snacks, because you never knew where you'd end up, when you'd get home, or if the car would break down or get stuck somewhere.

Lynn was getting tired of the constant traffic going by her house, so she moved from Jackson to a quieter location in Idaho Falls in 2015, where she quickly made friends with neighbors and pretty much anyone she met.

Lynn leaves a legacy of silliness, spontaneity, and sincerity. She was a smart cookie, a little naive at times, yet always stubborn and strong, loving and loyal, and a die-hard fan of Elvis and Freddie Mercury.

Lynn was preceded in death by her parents, Don and Opal Snyder; brothers, Earl and Denny Snyder; sister, Shirley Snyder; brother-in-law, Jack Kearney; daughter-in-law, Elaine Garrison; other family members and friends; and her beloved pets, Candie, Earl, Loretta, and Chloe.

Lynn is survived by her children, Janel Garrison, Brian Garrison, and Claudia Aster; sisters, Carol Kearney and Nadine (Ron) Kelley; nieces, Vicki (Joe) Downs and Alyson (John) Shoemaker; nephews, Tom (Jackie) Kearney, Mark (Elsa) Kearney, and David Harrison; cousin, Renee (Dan) Ray; and many cousins. She is also survived by her dear cats Mickey and Lila.

A Celebration of Life for Lynn and her sister Shirley will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 12-3 p.m. at the Museum of Idaho on 200 N. Eastern Avenue in Idaho Falls. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local animal shelter or food bank in memory of Lynn and Shirley.