Margaret Garrison, 88, passed peacefully from this life into the next from her Pleasant Valley home on March 13, 2017. Daughter of Peter Cahill from County Meath, Ireland, and Mary (formerly O'Donnell) Cahill from County Donegal, Ireland, Margaret was born in Mount Vernon, NY, June 24, 1928, the eldest of six children. She attended Sacred Heart Catholic School in Mount Vernon and graduated from St. Gabriel Business School in New Rochelle. As an employee in a bank in Larchmont, Margaret met Robert Garrison. They were married September 24, 1950, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and would raise six children of their own.  In 1959, the Garrisons moved from Mount Vernon to Dutchess County, first in the Poughkeepsie area then settling in Pleasant Valley in 1963. Warm and engaging, Margaret made friends in the area as a member of the Home Bureau and actively involving herself in her church as a member of the Saint Stanislaus Altar Rosary Society and the Saint Stanislaus Christmas Bazaar Committee, where her homemade New England Clam Chowder was always a sell out. As a stay-at-home mom, Margaret was always there for her children, patient and understanding but firm in impressing on them moral lessons of right from wrong and expecting nothing less from them than their best and in doing the right thing.  It could be said as well that Margaret was quite indulgent with her children when considering the Garrison household pets, ranging from our father's horse, a pony, and several dogs and cats over the years. With each of the six children having their own circle of friends, the Garrison household was often the center of the neighborhood and she would routinely set an extra plate or two with everyone always warmly welcomed. Robert and Margaret also enjoyed a summer day at the Saratoga Racetrack, a tradition that their children and grandchildren continue to this day. Margaret enjoyed reading the racing form and tracking the performances of horses and riders and betting a triple using the same numbers on the last race of the day. Margaret is survived by her children Stephen and his wife, Karen, Mary and her husband, Neill Herman, Robert and his wife, Jennifer, Peter and his wife, Nancy, a daughter, Elizabeth, and a daughter Ann Thibault. She is survived by a brother, Thomas, and his wife, Susan, a brother ,Cornelius, and his wife, Linda, a sister-in-law, Ruth, and a sister-in-law, Gloria. She is also survived by sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and a number of nephews and nieces. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Robert, brothers John, Charles and Peter, a daughter-in-law, Abby Garrison, and a son-in-law, Philippe Thibault. At this time, the Garrison family would like to express their sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who made it possible for Margaret to remain in her home during the course of her illness.

Calling hours are Sunday ,March 19th ,from 3PM to 7PM at the Allen Funeral Home, 1605 Main Street , Pleasant Valley, (845) 635 2124. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, March 20th , the feast of St. Joseph, at 11AM at Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel, 2114-298 Hudson View Drive, Poughkeepsie, NY. Donations may be made to St. Peter's Church, 6 Father Cody Plaza, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 and Pleasant valley Rescue Squad, 1612 Main Street, Pleasant Valley, NY.