Tribute

Carson, Harold Earl (December 9, 1937 – April 29, 2018).  It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Harold Carson, who died peacefully in the Powell River General Hospital surrounded by family and friends. He will be greatly missed by his wife Alice (nee Hammond),  three children, Auleen (Paul) Roy (Shelly) and Tom (Stephanie), and grandchildren Jonah, Noah, Emma, Tommy, Eli, Steve, Sammy and Izzy, as well as the extended Carson family and many friends.

Harold was born in Fort William, Ontario (Thunder Bay),  and came to Powell River at the age of 6 with his parents, Herb and Ethel Carson, and sisters June (Miller/Taylor), Doreen “Dodie” (Coe), and Frances “Frankie” (Cochlan). Harold attended Brooks High School, and was very active as a musician, singing, playing oboe and saxophone, and graduated class of ’56.  He met and married Alice in Powell River, and then studied music and English literature at Western Washington University, returning to work at MacMillan Bloedel in the summers. Harold’s early career was as a music and English high school teacher in the Seattle, Washington area, where he raised his young children, and received two Master degrees from the University of Washington, in Education, and in Library Science.  He also worked as a research librarian at Boeing in Seattle.

While studying for his PhD in Education, Harold returned to Powell River in 1973, where he taught briefly at Max Cameron High School, and then became the Director of Special Services for School District 47, a position he held for 25 years. During his tenure, he was dedicated to serving students with special needs and their families.  For two years he was seconded by the British Columbia Ministry of Education to perform accreditation of special needs programs throughout the province. Harold was also very active in the community as a musician, co-founding the Powell River Boys’ Choir with Ken Peterson and Don James, acting as choir director at the Lutheran and Anglican churches, and hosting a weekly madrigal group in his home.  Recently, Harold has been active leading, arranging, and playing saxophone in his dance band, Retro. The group has played throughout the community, including regular appearances at seniors’ residences.

Harold was, and remains, an inspiration to his children and grandchildren, as well as his many nieces and nephews (as Uncle Haddie): he was an eloquent, educated man with a quick wit and sense of humour. Harold will be remembered as a well-rounded man of diverse interests:  a passionate audiophile, a lover of art and literature, a consummate host of family dinners, wine tastes, scotch tastes, gourmet meals, house parties, pesto festos, bridge games, with a fierce dedication to good espresso, not to mention swimming and pumping iron with his gym crew at the Recreation Complex.

The family would like to extend their thanks to all the doctors and nurses who provided excellent care at the Powell River General Hospital.  As per Harold’s request, there will be no funeral service.