Willard Carson
July 5, 1930 — March 30, 2015
Willard Carson, 84, died Monday, March 30, 2015, at St. Luke’s Hospital. Funeral Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2015, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion by Pastor Sheri Andersen. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial: Troy Mills Cemetery with military honors by American Legion Post 712 of Troy Mills.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Jeanne; three children, Bradley (Carrie) Carson, Curtis Carson and Dawn (Bert) Aberle; five grandchildren, Shawn (Jackie) Aberle, Alida (Jeremy) Kolthoff, Shane (Karlee Markley) Carson, Leah Carson and Lucas Carson; three great-grandchildren, Carson, Gretchen and Gannon; a brother, Carl (Mary) Carson; brother and sisters-in-law, Larry (Coleen) Andersen, Sheri Andersen, and Wilma Perrin; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Kristine; grandson, Nicholas Aberle; and brothers-in-law, Robert Perrin and Leo Andersen.
Willard was born July 5, 1930, the son of Willard and Kristine (Schonberg) Carson. He graduated from Troy Mills High School with the class of 1948. Willard was the youngest person in Iowa, at age 16, to have a pilot’s license. Willard served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. On December 1, 1956, he married Jeanne M. Andersen in Troy Mills. Willard worked for Northwestern Bell upon returning from service until his retirement in December of 1984.
When Willard retired he didn’t quit working. He worked at Pioneer hybrids and drove school bus for North Linn as a substitute for many years. He was known as “Smiley the bus driver”. He loved working on his farm and raised shorthorn and longhorn cattle. He was blessed when it was time to sell the cattle that he sold them to his grandson.
Willard enjoyed watching the kids and grandkids grow and he attended many sporting events. Children were the light in his eyes.
Willard was a member of American Legion Post 712 of Troy Mills and Silver Creek United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Jeanne; three children, Bradley (Carrie) Carson, Curtis Carson and Dawn (Bert) Aberle; five grandchildren, Shawn (Jackie) Aberle, Alida (Jeremy) Kolthoff, Shane (Karlee Markley) Carson, Leah Carson and Lucas Carson; three great-grandchildren, Carson, Gretchen and Gannon; a brother, Carl (Mary) Carson; brother and sisters-in-law, Larry (Coleen) Andersen, Sheri Andersen, and Wilma Perrin; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Kristine; grandson, Nicholas Aberle; and brothers-in-law, Robert Perrin and Leo Andersen.
Willard was born July 5, 1930, the son of Willard and Kristine (Schonberg) Carson. He graduated from Troy Mills High School with the class of 1948. Willard was the youngest person in Iowa, at age 16, to have a pilot’s license. Willard served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. On December 1, 1956, he married Jeanne M. Andersen in Troy Mills. Willard worked for Northwestern Bell upon returning from service until his retirement in December of 1984.
When Willard retired he didn’t quit working. He worked at Pioneer hybrids and drove school bus for North Linn as a substitute for many years. He was known as “Smiley the bus driver”. He loved working on his farm and raised shorthorn and longhorn cattle. He was blessed when it was time to sell the cattle that he sold them to his grandson.
Willard enjoyed watching the kids and grandkids grow and he attended many sporting events. Children were the light in his eyes.
Willard was a member of American Legion Post 712 of Troy Mills and Silver Creek United Methodist Church.
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