Saturday, March 13, 1999
N.Ky. woman wins $2.6 million jackpot
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ALEXANDRIA — Linda Garrison was alone early Thursdaymorning working at a U.S. 27 convenience store when she became a millionaire.
Mrs. Garrison, 47, of Peach Grove in Pendleton County, hit the six Kentucky Lotto numbers she has played for the past 10 years — 11, 13, 17, 21, 23 and 28 — and won a $2.6 million jackpot.
“This is the first time I have ever won anything, I mean anything, in my life,” Mrs. Garrison said from behind the counter at the J&K One Stop, where she was back at work Friday morning.
“It's great, it's wonderful. But I'm not going to quit my job,” said Mrs. Garrison, who took an immediate cash option worth about $1.1 million after taxes.
“I like my job, and I don't like to sit at home.”
Mrs. Garrison does plan to pay a few bills, invest most of the money and buy a new truck for her husband, Eric. He also plans to continue in his job as a service technician at Sears, where he's worked for 32 years.
But Mrs. Garrison does plan to splurge and spend some of her newfound wealth on her favorite pastime — the Cincinnati Reds.
“I just got a new car in September, and we have a new house,” she said. “So I don't have to spend money on those things.
“But I do plan to go to lots of Reds games with my grandson,” 5-year-old Eric Owens, whose favorite player is shortstop Barry Larkin.
“We both love the Reds and we love to go to a lot of games,” she said.
Mrs. Garrison played a series of numbers based on her wedding anniversary and the birthdays of her chil dren and grandchildren. She is the mother of four and grandmother of three.
Mrs. Garrison learned she won the lottery about 5:30 a.m. Thursday when she got to work.
“I do what I do every morning,” she explained. “I printed out the winning lotto numbers, but before I looked I made coffee, did some other things at the store and then finally looked at the numbers.
“That's when I realized I won. I started jumping up and down and hollering "I won, I won.' That's when I realized there wasn't anybody to tell,” she said.
Store owner Bernie Koerner also hit a jackpot of sorts. Since the winning ticket was sold at his store, he'll receive $26,000 from the Kentucky Lottery.
“She's a good, loyal employee,” Mr. Koerner said. “Those are hard to find.”
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