Sussex County-Portsmouth City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Carson, Elwood C., 2003 

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ELWOOD CLEVELAND CARSON 

  Elwood C. Carson, 83, a former resident of Portsmouth, for 25 years, passed 
away Sunday, April 6, 2003.  He died peacefully at his home in Wakefield, 
surrounded by his family and friends, after a short but gallant battle with 
cancer.  He was the youngest of four brothers born on a small southeastern 
Kansas farm in 1919.

  The depression claimed most of the family savings and Elwood joined the 
Roosevelt Era "CC" Corps after high school. While in his teens, he married 
Virginia Marie Wass of Parsons, Kan. and together they moved to Portsmouth at 
the start of World War II to accept work at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

  A welder by trade, Elwood developed a keen interest in electronics and 
aviation at the same time.  He studied electronics at night and pursued his 
interest in flying on weekends.  He transferred from the shipyard to the Naval 
Air Station in Norfolk as an electronics technician.  He retired from civil 
service in 1975.

  Flying proved to be his greatest ambition and he and Polly moved to their 
present home only one mile from the Wakefield Airport.  Elwood started a new 
business after retirement that involved the recovery and repair of downed 
aircraft.  This work took Elwood to several states in the recovery process 
but also provided him the opportunity to fly and own a variety of different 
aircraft.  Elwood eventually became airport manager and was directly 
responsible for many of the improvements seen at the Wakefield Airport today. 
He also was elected to the Wakefield Town Council and served the town notably. 
Elwood will be remembered as an outstanding resident of Wakefield by his 
neighbors, friends and many flying associates.

  He is survived by his wife, Polly, of 64 years; three sons, Jerry Lee Carson 
and Elwood C. Carson, Jr., both of Portsmouth, Dean Ray Carson of 
Shepherdstown, W. Va.; one daughter, Mildred Beek of Petersburg; thirteen 
grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren.

  Funeral services were held at Wakefield Baptist Church, Wakefield, on April 
10, 2003 at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Jim Kerr officiating.  Interment followed at 
Wakefield Cemetery.  The family received friends at the Purviance Funeral Home 
on Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  The family suggests that 
flowers are acceptable, but memorial may be made to the Wakefield Baptist 
Church. 


Elwood Cleveland CARSON, former manager of Wakefield Airport & Councilman, 
b. 28 May 1919, Mound City, KS, d. 6 Apr 2003, at home, Wakefield, 
interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, 10 Apr 2003, 
"Sussex-Surry Dispatch" (Wakefield, VA), Apr. 16, 2003, 3A 

*Wakefield list, an extension of 
   the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt 

His widow's obit ("Daily Press," Aug. 7, 2006, C-4) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/c625v1ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/c625e3ob.txt