Gene D. Carson (2002)

CARSON, MILLER, RUEMMELE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 4/7/2010 at 08:59:50

The Gazette, Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, Iowa
Tuesday, April 2, 2002

Gene D. Carson, 87, a resident of the Woodlands, the Meth-Wick Community, died there Sunday, March 31, 2002, after a long illness. Services: 10 a.m. Saturday, St. Patrick Catholic Church, by the Rev. Steven Rosonke.

Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Saturday at Teahen Funeral Home, where a rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. and where a vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday.

Gene, also known as "Pidge," was born Feb. 22, 1915, in Julesburg, Colo., to Walter and Lillian Johnson Carson. Gene grew up in Essex and came to Cedar Rapids to attend Coe College in 1933. He was extremely active at Coe in both football and track. After graduation in 1937, he spent four years teaching and training football.

Gene married Jane Carey Huston, a Coe graduate of 1939, on June 10, 1940, in Cedar Rapids. They moved to Winterset, where Gene continued teaching and training. When World War II broke out in 1941, Gene entered the Navy and carried on in the teaching field in Pensacola, Fla. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to Schenectady, N.Y., and later was sent to Australia.

When the war ended, he returned to Cedar Rapids and was assigned to Coe College while waiting to return to teaching the next June. Gene found that salesmanship appealed to him and remained in sales in Cedar Rapids, which became his final home. Gene owned and operated Central Concrete Co. for many years and retired in 1979.

Gene was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus 909, Thursday Noon Optimists, Coe Alumni Association, LaSalle Booster Club and the Elks Club.

Gene and Jane were blessed with a family of five children, Susan Jane and husband Wayne Bach of Edina, Minn., Ann Louise and husband Larry Zirbel of Swisher, John Huston and wife Hila of Raleigh, N.C., Judy Lillian and husband Dick Ruemmele of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Carey Elizabeth and husband Robert Kucera of Carroll; a sister, Betty Carson Johnson of Fremont, Neb.; eight grandchildren, Emily, Julia, Molly, Michael, Christine, Paul, Catherine and Megan; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pauline and Harold Miller of Cedar Rapids.

Gene was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Carson.

Gene will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend.