August 4, 1939- July 24, 2026
Charles “Charlie” Carson passed away peacefully at home with family by his side Friday, July 24. He was just shy of his 87th birthday.
Born in Irving, Kansas, Charlie was the middle child of three. His parents Ernest Carson and Wilma (Turrentine) Carson preceded him in death, as well as his younger brother David Arlen, older sister Barbara Myers, and his wife and best friend of 62 years, Lois (Adams) Carson.
Charlie spent his childhood years moving often between several small Central Kansas towns, including Hartford, Admire, Riley, Mound City, Stark, Harveyville, Latham, and Winfield. During those years he participated in track & field, basketball, baseball, and football. He was a member of 4-H, FFA, Industrial Arts Club, and Methodist Youth Fellowship. He played the violin, upright alto horn, trombone and sang in many choirs and ensembles. He graduated from Latham Highschool in 1957.
Majoring in Mechanic Arts, Charlie was a graduate of Kansas State College at Pittsburg (now PSU), where he was also in ROTC. He entered the Navy as an Aviation Officer Candidate, attending flight school at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. After discharge from the service, Charlie took post-graduate classes at Old Dominion College and obtained a teaching certificate for the Commonwealth of Virginia. A life-long learner, Charlie continued to study industrial arts, graduated from “Toastmasters International”, took community computer classes, and was always exploring new things.
An ADR-3 (Third Class Petty Officer) in the United States Navy from 1961-1963, Charlie’s list of roles included: Airman, training and flight engineer on DC-3’s, “Weekend Warrior” at Olathe Naval Air Station, Police Petty Officer for his Division, STD trainer, and manned battle stations during General Quarters. Charlie was part of the Gemini space capsule recovery of astronauts. He served shore patrol and guard in places including Bermuda, The British West Indies, St Lawrence seaway Quebec, Canada; Halifax Nova Scotia, St. Thomas Virgin Islands, Kingston Jamaica, New York City and the Atlantic Ocean. The end of his service put him in the heart of The Cuban Missile Crisis. He was deployed to GITMO- Guantanamo Bay Cuba, assigned to the Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid CVS-11 in the aviation fuel division on the flight deck. He was very proud to see “The Fighting I” become the “Sea, Air, Space Museum” in the harbor in New York City. In 2019, he was invited to take part in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. celebrating America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials.
Career-wise, Charlie worked for International Motor Truck Division Fairfax as a Service Rep Instructor Trainee where he was a member of the Teamsters. He taught Industrial Arts (General shop & engineering drawing) at Northside Highschool in Roanoke, Virginia; and was a department manager and in commission sales with Sears for 34 years, working at the Plaza and then opening the new flagship store at Metcalf South in Overland Park. He earned top sales and management awards with the company, and took an early retirement. He belonged to the Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union as well.
Charlie met his wife Lois while working as a mechanic in a garage in Winfield, Kansas on summer break from college. They hit it off immediately and continued a long-distance courtship before getting engaged six months later and then married at Grace Methodist Church in Winfield, KS on August 23rd, 1959. Following college, Navy service, and time in Virginia, the couple moved to the Kansas City area and raised their family including daughter Nancy and son David in Overland Park and Olathe. Together they were deeply involved at First United Methodist Church/Grace of Olathe. Charlie and Lois retired to Gardner where they lived the last twenty years. Much of that time was spent “grandparenting”, as they rarely missed an activity or event for their four beloved grandchildren Jordan, Bailey, Hazel, and Maya. They did nearly everything together and equally enjoyed sports, travel, church, cooking and music. Charlie took loving care of Lois primarily by himself during the pandemic until she passed away due to Alzheimer’s in 2021.
Charlie came from and created a family of “servants”. He volunteered and held offices with Y-Indian Guides Parent-Child programs on the national level. He and Lois went on mission trips to Mexico and he joined numerous youth mission trips with his grandchildren, overseeing building projects. He served on the Gold Star Memorial Dedication committee with the American Legion. He volunteered every election he was able, serving as a poll worker. He was also always ready to help family, friends, and neighbors with building or landscaping projects, meals, and transportation as well.
Life was “lived large” by Charlie. To say he enjoyed golf would be an understatement! He played until age 85, often shooting well below his age, and made a hole in one, winning the Linn Valley Lakes POA Golf Championship! He participated in numerous tournaments, had a side business, “The Golf CrafTer” repairing & creating custom clubs, and he helped design the course at Linn Valley Lakes Estates. Beyond the greens he enjoyed travel with friends and family, including many cruises and RV trips. He loved the outdoors- fishing, hiking, gardening and lawncare. Charlie worked security at the Kansas Speedway for many Nascar races, as cars and racing were another lifetime love. He enjoyed woodworking and construction, building everything from shelves to a summer vacation home which he designed and managed as a family project. A “foodie”, he liked finding new off-the-beaten-path places to go and recipes to try, even competing with his wife and winning “Grand Champion” Cake at the Johnson County Fair. Charlie loved movies, trivia, concerts, YMCA activities for seniors, working out, watching all sports (especially the Pitt-State Gorillas with the Alumni “Gorilla Club”), and singing in the church choir and karaoke nights at the American Legion.
Charlie had many friends from all different parts of his life. His mischievous spirit, and zest for life will be greatly missed by many. He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Carson of Overland Park, KS; son David ( & Staci) of Overland Park, KS; grandchildren Jordan Larkin (& Emily Wesley) of Cleveland, OH; Bailey Larkin of Kansas City, MO; Hazel Carson of Savannah, GA; and Maya Larkin of Olathe, KS; along with many beloved nieces and nephews from both the Adams and Carson families.
Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 1st at Grace United Methodist Church, 14485 Ridgeview Rd., Olathe, KS. A light lunch reception will be held at the church and then an “After Party” at the American Legion 410 E. Dennis Ave, Olathe from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Leggett Memorial Gardens Columbarium, YMCA of the Rockies- Estes Park, Colorado, (A very special place full of family memories), where he will join Lois eternally in the majesty of the mountains.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to Pitt State Alumni Association, The American Legion, The Alzheimer’s Association, Grace United Methodist Church, and Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Foundation.
