While searching for something else entirely I stumbled across my dad's obituary. My relationship with him was a complicated one. But it's interesting to go back years later and realize that so many of the things he loved, I love too. He was wicked smart, loved writing and reading, and had a deep, abiding love of learning. I like to think I kept all his good qualities and did my damnedest to avoid all the bad (which explains why I never did a single drug in college shy of alcohol, and barely any of that).
Melvin Harold Carson Melvin Harold "Pops" Carson, age 65, passed away August 20, 2008, in Arcata. He was born in San Francisco on June 4, 1943, and grew up in Arcata, attending Arcata Union High School. He joined the U.S. Marines, then attended College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State College, graduating from Humboldt cum laude with a B.A. in Speech Communication. He reenlisted in the Marines before returning to civilian life once and for all, studying at San Diego State University, working as a salesman and then as a technical writer. He survived a massive cranial aneurysm in 1989 which presented him with many challenges the rest of his life, but that didn’t stop him from living and learning. He enjoyed taking university classes, loved writing and reading literature, studying history and watching a good film. He was active in a number of church and community groups. He was very active in and a big supporter of AA and proudly maintained his sobriety for 35 years. He made many friends in those groups and was never afraid to befriend a total stranger. He is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Carson VanDerAa of Seattle, Washington. He was laid to rest at the Eagle Point National Cemetery in Oregon on August 28, 2008. Thanks so much to all the friends throughout his life and especially the people in the community of Arcata for being there for Mel.