Steven E. Carson Obituary (1951 - 2011)

Mr. Steven E. Carson, 59, of Manitou, KY, died at 5:15 A.M., Saturday, July 23, 2011 at his residence. He was born November 10, 1951 in Bowling Green, KY. He was preceded in death by his father who meant so much to him, Johnny Henry Carson, on March 11, 2010. \ Steve was a member of the Second Baptist Church in Madisonville. He was a licensed funeral director and embalmer and had been the co-owner with his wife of the Barnett-Strother Funeral Home in Madisonville for many years. He began working for Fred and Artie Mae Strother in October of 1968. He and Charlene had moved out of the funeral home for the first time in 25 years in October of 2007. He had served as president of the West Kentucky Funeral Directors Association. He was 2004-2005 President of the Kentucky Funeral Directors Association and served on many committees in funeral service. He was a US Army veteran. He was a member of the Madisonville Lions Club and the Madisonville Masonic Lodge #143 F&AM. He became a licensed scuba diver in 2007 and loved to travel with his wife. They had a chance to do so, even more after they retired. For many years he was an avid blood donor and had served as a deputy coroner under John Walters for many years. \ He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend of 41 years, Charlene Clark Carson; his mother Ivy Sears Carson of Madisonville; one daughter and son-in-law, Samantha and Steve Carver of Slaughters, KY; one son, Eric Carson of Seattle, WA; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Dale and Suzann Carson of Amherst, VA and Dennis and Patty Carson of Madisonville; three granddaughters, Meagan Caroline and Maggie Cate Carver of Slaughters and Sage Carson of Columbia, MD and one grandson, John Harmon Carver of Slaughters; nineteen nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews. \ Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Monday at Barnett-Strother Funeral Home with Bro. J.D. Holt and Bro. Roy Finley officiating. Burial will follow in Odd Fellows Cemetery. \ Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Sunday and after 9:00 A.M. Monday at the funeral home. \ Pallbearers will be Tom Hemmerle, Pevie Cotton, Wayne Burton, Bobby Brown, Mark Miller, David Cunningham, Steve Clements and Vance Fritz. Honorary pallbearers will be his good friends who preceded him, John Walters and Dewitt Ricketts. \ Memorials may take the form of donations to Green River Hospice that have been so faithful to his father and mother or Second Baptist Church that has been his church for most of his life. \