Date of Birth: August 2, 1927
Date of Death: August 28, 2016
Earl Victor Carson was born on August 2, 1927, the second of four sons of Harold and Louise Carson who lived in the Forrest Farm district. He attended school at Forrest Farm until his family purchased land in the Hopehill District and he later attended school there with his last year of schooling being at McKay School.
He worked at various jobs, and while helping the Davis Brothers with their cattle, he married Audrey Shepherd in 1946. Two daughters, Shirley and Maxine were born while he was employed with the Davis brothers. He worked for Al McEwen at Sask Power until the unions came in and bumped him so he went to work for Sask. Wheat Pool and his first elevator was at Eskbank and then he moved to Eyebrow, SK. where daughter Elaine was born (in Moose Jaw Hospital). He was offered a job on the Sask. Wheat Pool carpentry crew and moved to Central Butte, SK. in 1952 where he eventually started his own construction business in 1956 and this is where their fourth daughter Sharon was born.
In February 1962, Audrey became very ill overnight, was rushed to hospital but passed away. She died on Feb. 11, at the age of 37 years. Aunt Myrtle Carson came to the rescue to help with the girls and that spring, Earl decided to hold an auction, selling his construction equipment and moved to Whitewood, where he began building a house for his family, which he lived in until his passing.
On September 3, 1965, Earl married Doreen Zorn and the two of them worked together in a carpentry and painting business and as the business expanded, eventually opened Carson’s Carpet Centre and Car Wash where quality and workmanship were the building blocks of their business.
Earl was an avid hunter and fisherman. He owned a cabin in the Pasqua Hills and a fishing cabin at Lake Nameau. He was a member of Ducks Unlimited for many, many years. He served on the Church Boards and enjoyed his many, many years in the Whitewood Elks Lodge. He held various positions including Exalted Ruler and District Deputy, but it wasn’t the position that was important to him, it was the good they were doing for the community and the many friends he had in the organization. Earl and Doreen sponsored the Saskatchewan Provincial Elks Mixed Curling for 15 years, where they travelled to different parts of the province meeting their old friends and making many new ones. The Elks were a very important part of his life to his last day.
Earl was predeceased by his parents; his wife Audrey in 1962 and his wife Doreen in 2006; his son-in-laws, Bob Johnson and Cliff Ashfield; grandchild baby Norwig and also a grandson, Trevor Kalaman and his two brothers, Wesley and Robert.
Left to cherish his memories are his daughter Shirley Johnson of Victoria, BC, and her children Kathy (Garland) Armstrong and daughters Alissa and Laurinda; Kerry (Lisa) Kalaman and their family Presley & Ethan; Trevor’s daughter Amanda Kalaman (fiancé Colby MacIntyre); Dana Johnson and daughter Nyleigh and Patrick (Devril) Johnson and children Danica, Kieran and Griffin, as well as step-son Ron (Catherine) Johnson; Maxine Downes of Winnipeg, MB; Elaine Ashfield of Whitewood and her sons Brian (children Rheeve and Vann) and Chris; Sharon (Rick) Norwig of Wolseley and their children Lisa (Jason) Fehler and children Avery and Cole; Jeffrey (Marie), Brent (Vicki) and children Emily, Rachel and Owen; brother Clifford (Jeanne) of Lacombe, AB.; sister-in-laws Edna Shepherd, Lil Shepherd, Irene Carson, Eleanora (Ervin) Wolfe, Clarice Zorn; as well as many nieces, nephews and friends, many made through their business, in the Elks Lodge and during their travels to many places and countries.
