James Alton Garrison, Jr., age 84, of Kyle, Texas passed away on Friday, April 16, 2021. He was born in Houston, Texas on November 20, 1936 to James Alton Garrison, Sr. and Pearl Aurelia Runnels Garrison.
During his childhood the family moved to the Rio Grande Valley where his father owned a hotel in Port Isabel, long before South Padre Island was developed. Rather than head to the beach, James headed to the Brush Country. He was a Cowboy, a Horseman, a S. Texas Quail Hunter and so much more. Family and friends recall his stories of “gathering” cattle from the brush country, where a cowboy worked through three horses in a day spanning over 14 hours, or more.
He worked the animal sale barn of his hometown of Pharr, Texas during high school and into his college days, introducing him to many of the area ranchers and fostering a love of horses and cattle. James graduated Texas A&I University with the Class of 1957 with a degree in Animal Husbandry. Following college, he worked for many prominent ranchers, including Lloyd Bentsen, Sr. and the Lasater Family of Hebronville, aiding in the development of the Beefmaster cattle breed.
