Maria Elena Garrison's Obituary
Maria Elena Swayne de Garrison was born March 12, 1949, at Sibley Hospital in Washington, DC. She was the third of four daughters born to Darrell Vonray Swayne and Rosa Lara Swayne.
She grew up in Southeast Washington, DC, attending District of Columbia public schools eventually graduating in 1967 from Frank W. Ballou Senior High School. She was the Prom Queen that year. After graduating she went to work as a Student Aide for the District Public School System.
On December 16, 1967, she married Robert Henry Garrison III. To this union were born two children: a son, David, on October 12, 1968; and a daughter, Danielle, on January 17, 1973. In the summer of 1974 Maria and her family went to live in Lima, Peru, where Robert was assigned with the United States Information Agency. In 1975 the family moved to Asuncion, Paraguay, when Robert was assigned. In Paraguay Maria enjoyed cooking the local meals and learned to play a couple of tunes on the traditional Paraguayan Harp. In the summer of 1978 the family returned to Landover Hills, MD, and Maria began her Federal employment career with the United States Department of Agriculture. Within a year she transferred to the United States General Services Administration from which she would eventually retire in January 2009 as a GS-12 Financial Management Analyst.
Maria enjoyed playing cards, listening to music, cooking for family and friends, and traveling with her husband around the world – London, Madrid, Beirut, Tehran, Hong Kong, and Hawaii – during the summer of 1971.
She is survived by her husband, Robert; son, David (daughter-in-law Ginoris); daughter, Danielle (son-in-law Dwayne Henry); Grandson, Brandon; Granddaughters Jordan and Amari; Great Granddaughter Amyra Nicole; sisters Rosita, Miriam (brother-in-law Jerrel Catlett), Susanne (brother-in-law Michael Taylor); brother-in-law Ronald Garrison (sister-in-law Barbara); sister-in-law Robin Andrews; brother-in-law Roger Corley; first cousin Rainy (husband Nick Williams); first cousin Arnold Ruiz (wife Gloria); first cousins Jerry and Nelson Archuleta; uncle Harry Swayne (wife Karen); and a hosts of nephews and nieces. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Please share online condolences with the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com
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