Ehrentraute Jost Garrison Obituary (2020)

Ehrentraute Jost Garrison, 84 of Beaufort, SC passed away on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at River Oaks Assisted Living in Port Royal, SC. Due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, services will be private. Ms. Garrison was born on February 15, 1936 in Weinheim, Germany, the daughter of Sebestian and Barbara (Emag) Jost. She married Jerry Allen Garrison, a soldier in the US Army on February 13, 1955 in Mannheim, Germany just two days before her 19th birthday. "Trudy" and Jerry had their only child, a daughter, Rosemary in October 1956 in Heidelberg, Germany. Trudy had an adventurous soul. She left family, friends and everything she knew in Germany to worlds unknown to be with Jerry and build their family. Her first stop was Birmingham, Alabama where she stayed with Jerry's family and his 12 brothers and sisters. She would tell the story of how she became a naturalized citizen in 1956. She spoke little English and had to take the test more than once. She said she thought they finally passed her because they felt sorry for her, she was 7 months pregnant, couldn't speak English very well and she was trying to be with her husband who had transferred back to Germany! When asked how she learned English she would say she learned from watching soap operas on TV! So started Jerry and Trudy's world travels with "Rosie" in tow. Several military assignments in Germany, others in Texas, California, South Carolina, North Carolina and Japan. They had many friends and were very socially active; card nights with friends, cookouts, boating and water skiing, fishing, bowling teams, parties and such. They really enjoyed their life together. Trudy was an apprentice seamstress in her teen years in Germany. She worked in various seamstress jobs through the years in the US. She was quite the fashionista and would design and make her own trendy clothing for herself, Rosie and Rosie's Barbie dolls. She was always busy; cooking German fare, baking, bread making, crocheting, knitting, cross stitching and cleaning house. Trudy had a keen eye for collectibles and antiques which evolved into her own business, T&J Collectibles. For years she set up every week in the Charleston Downtown Market, then consignment shops in Charleston and finally her favorite place to sell her treasures was the Ladson Flea Market. She and Jerry reached the highlight of their adventures when they found their long sought after dream property in Beaufort, SC and were able to live near their daughter, son-in-law, grandson and his family. Survivors include her daughter: Rosemary (Ed) Livingston; grandson, Edward "Trey" (Madelyn) Livingston, III; granddaughter, Sheena Livingston (Sam Weber); great grandsons, Edward Livingston, IV; Solomon Livingston Weber and great granddaughter, Julianna Livingston; brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws: Edward (Faye) Garrison, Jean Castleberry, Shirley DeLuca, John Garrison, Martha (Merlin) Conn, Earl (Jackie) Garrison, Larry (Nina) Garrison, Anita (James) Newman , Oleta (Ray) Conn and Diane (Richard) Robinson; from Germany, nephews, Heinz Jost and Markus (Elke) Jost and niece, Monika (Peter) Rohr and of course, Trudy's little dog, a malti-poo named Skipper. Ms. Garrison is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, her parents, her brother Bruno Jost and brother in-laws, sisters-in-laws, aunts and uncles in Germany and in America. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made out to Beaufort Alzheimer's Family Services and Friends of Caroline Hospice. Trudy will be interred at the Beaufort National Cemetery to be joined again with her Jerry.