Richard Carson

Richard “Rip” Paul Carson, 79, of North Port and Nashua, NH, passed away January 4, 2007 in Port Charlotte. He was born January 8, 1927 in Pittsburgh, PA. He served in World War II in Panama as a radar operator in the Army Air Corps. Rip graduated from Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA with a degree in history and a minor in Spanish. He also attended the Wharton School of Business where he pursued a major in Social Medicine. Rip was a wage and salary analyst with Western Electric, and retired from the Boston and Maine Railroad. He was a devoted father and husband. Rip was an avid reader with a passion for knowledge, a veritable Renaissance Man whose interests included photography, fishing, gardening, woodworking, travel, the stock market, and politics. Rip loved music as well, from jazz to polka to his granddaughter’s flute playing. He could talk with anyone form any walk of life and recount a story, tell a joke, explain and idea, or impart a lesson. It didn’t matter the subject - classic literature, ancient history, science, nature, technology - Rip read it, memorized it, and shared it with others. He also enjoyed canoe rides, going on cruises, and dancing and will be remembered for sporting colorful Hawaiian shirts. Rip was a lifelong member of the NRA and was active in the Rod and Gun Club in Nashua, NH where he served as treasurer. Rip will be greatly missed by his wife of 40 years, Jean (Underhill); daughter, Melanie Carson (Peter) Melle of Collegeville, PA; son, Christopher “Marc” (Mary Marz) Carson of Port Charlotte; stepson, Mark Pollard of Nashua, NH; granddaughters, Julia Melle and Emily Melle; grandsons, Peter Melle, Geoffrey Melle, Jedd Pollard, and Joshua Pollard and their mother, Jade Marco; sister, Geraldine Bushnell of Las Cruces, NM; and other family, friends, and neighbors. A memorial service celebrating Rip’s life will be held from 2-5 PM at the La Casa Clubhouse, North Port on Thursday, January 11, 2007. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memoriam to the Leukemia Foundation, 13907 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618. To express condolences to the family, please sign the online guest book. Arrangements are by the Cremation Center of Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services, Port Charlotte.