Val Carson

VAL M. CARSON IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Val M. Carson, 72, passed away April 23, 2006, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. He was born April 28, 1933, in Shelley, Idaho, to Charles Edgar Carson and Carrie Chloe Mitchell Carson. He grew up in Shelley and graduated from Shelley High School. Val joined the Navy after high school and was in the Korean War. He served on the ship, Bairoco and was involved in the Atomic bomb drop on the Bikini and Eniwetok Islands. He was awarded two bronze star medals. He also served as a medic in the Idaho National Guard before retiring from military service. Val attended the FBI academy and worked as an officer for the Shelley Police Department. He worked as an EKG technician and in the emergency room at Parkview Hospital in Idaho Falls. He worked for the United States Department of Agriculture as a meat inspector in California and Idaho until his retirement. He married Dorothy Brown and they later divorced. On August 26, 1963, he married Bodene Peck in Idaho Falls. Their marriage was solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple in 1982. They raised their family in Shelley before moving to Merced, California, for six years, then Turlock, California for eight years. They returned to Idaho Falls in 2004 and Bodene passed away October 14, 2004. He married Betty Jane Christensen Nelson July 19, 2005, and she brought much happiness to his life in their short time together. He was a High Priest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a founding member of the Shelley Quick Response Unit. He served in the Idaho Falls Red Cross as an instructor for nine years. He was Vice Commander of the Shelley American Legion. He served as Post Commander for VFW Chapter 5059 in Turlock, California, and worked tirelessly in the VFW color guard at the Santa Nella, California, military cemetery. In his last year he was a volunteer at Hospice of Eastern Idaho and EIRMC. The thing he did best was being a Grandpa to his grandchildren, step grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They will always remember the outrageous things he did to entertain them and the countless hours he spent with them playing and laughing. He is survived by his wife, Betty, of Shelley; his sisters, Voris Blomquist of Dillon, Montana, Callie Carson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nola Robinson of Lawton, Oklahoma; his children, Michael Carson of Billings, Montana, Leann (Kevin) Larsen of Firth, Val Beth (Brad) Darrington of Shelley, Scott Wilkinson of Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Sharla Cunningham of Idaho Falls; granddaughters, Sara (Jeff) Birch of Rexburg, Candi Larsen of Moscow, Idaho, Carrie Darrington of Shelley, and Aytum Larimere, Jocelyn (Rick) Miller and Jennifer Lawrence, all of Idaho Falls; grandsons, Zachary Carson and Nathanael Carson of Billings, Montana, Justin (Jenna) Larsen of Springfield, Idaho, Benjamin Darrington of New Haven, Connecticut, Matthew Darrington of Schenectady, New York, Bradley Darrington of Shelley, and D. J. Lawrence of Fort Collins, Colorado; and five great grandchildren, Carson Birch, Braden and Ryleigh Lawrence, Mya and Tasia Wilkinson. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Don Carson, a sister, Beth Kole, and his wife, Bodene. Graveside Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2006, at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Shelley, Idaho, where military honors will be performed by the Bonneville County Veterans Memorial Team. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Hospice of Eastern Idaho, 1810 Moran Street, Idaho Falls, ID 83401. Arrangements are under the direction of Wood Funeral Home. ------------------------------------------------ Condolences sent onnline: Dick and Sharon Marler (smarler@fretel.com) We were saddened to hear of Jesse's death. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this most difficult time. David Ackerschott (dackerschott@pssholdings.com) Jesse and I were great friends when we were younger, I am so sorry to hear of your loss, His smile and his laugh will be missed by all. Please accept my condolences for this unfortunate loss. Sincerely, David & Angie Ackerschott Ken Nelson (kenmastr@ida.net) Jay/Leilani Egbert and family: Sorry to hear of your loss. I was speaking with Corky and he told me that this was very sudden. Ken Nelson Kathy Thompson (kathyethompson@yahoo.com) With love and sincere heart felt sympathy. May you share your love for each other at this time. A caring friend (acquaintance of Scott's), Kathy Galen Hult (galenhult@msn com) I am so sorry for your loss. Val came to my home many times. As a hospice volunteer, he visited with my father and always brought treats for my little dog. Val even came to my father's funeral. I (and my little dog) will always remember him. Valerie Lawson [camping6@hotmail.com] I just wanted to express my sympathy to your family in the loss of Val. He was one of the hospice volunteers that used to visit with my dad, Melvin Hult, before he passed away last summer. He always brought a smile to my dad's face when he came to visit. Val used to play with my brother's little dog, teasing him by putting on his hat and taking it off again several times. For some reason Val's hat drove little Corky crazy! My dad would laugh so hard at this. It was great to see my dad so happy. Val was such a dear man to have such love and compassion. Surely this touched the lives of everyone he knew, and most certainly those he visited with regularly as a hospice volunteer. It was certainly an honor to have known him. May God bless you all.