John Robert Carson (2010)

BENNE, CARSON, PETERSON

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 2/4/2024 at 07:41:45

Earlham Advocate
Earlham, Iowa
January 19, 2011
Page 3

John Robert Carson, 74, of Hagerstown, Maryland, died on Friday, December 24, 2010, in Hagerstown. Born February 11, 1936 in St. Joseph, Missouri, he was the son of Robert L. and Ellen Carson.

John and his wife, Janet, lived in Earlham, Iowa. Their son, Paul, was born at the Winterset hospital. He was an English teacher for two years. He was also instrumental in starting the Earlham Care Program in 1963, which included a bord of directors. The Earlham Care Program was a service for the elderly, to provide homemaker care and nursing care, as needed. There were several volunteers, including Roy Anker, who was the first to deliver meals to the Earlham elderly. The Earlham Care Program, through Mr. Carson’s work, was featured on national television news. When John and his family left the Earlham area, there were many local people who carried on the work of the program, including Betty Reynolds, Olive Ralston, Mary Smith and others.

John’s wife, Janet C. (Peterson) Carson, preceded him in death in 2007. He was a former resident of Bethesda, Maryland, having moved to Hagerstown with his wife in 2002. He was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church and the Exchange Club of Hagerstown. He retired from the American Podiatric Medical Association where he was employed as the Director of Governmental Affairs.

John is survived by his two sons, John W. Carson of Hagerstown, and Paul F. Carson and his wife Linda, of Manassas, Virginia; his sister, Joanna Benne of Salem, Virginia; and his two granddaughters, Julia and Olivia.

A memorial service was held on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Hagerstown. Burial followed at the church cemetery.