Dorothy Jean “JEAN” Carson

Dorothy Jean Carson or “Jean” as she would tell you, passed away at her home on the morning of December 6th, 2014.

Jean was born on April 17th, 1927. She was raised in Camp Dennison, Ohio. Jean was the eldest and last surviving of four siblings (Dorothy “Jean”, Carolyn, Rolf and Robert) of Edgar and Dorothea Dority also deceased. She was raised on a small farm during the depression and spent much of her teen years as a nanny for the Todd Family. She attended the Camp Dennison School and graduated from Terrace Park High School.

During World War II she worked for the Pratt – Whitney Co of Cincinnati OH. After the war she attended Bethesda School of Nursing in Cincinnati OH and became a registered nurse. After graduating she went to work at Toledo State Hospital (now part of the Medical College of Ohio) in Toldeo.

In 1950, she met and married a US Army veteran, Robert George”Bob” Schudel. Jean and Bob had two boys. The first died at birth, the second, Robert D. “Bobby”. “Bob” Schudel passed away in the fall 1958. In 1964, Jean and Bobby moved from Toledo Oh to the Pacific Beach area of San Diego CA where she went to work for University Hospital in Hillcrest. In 1965, She met and married Marshall Scott Ashby and remained married for 2 yrs. In 1972, she married Donald John Carson. They moved to Halfway Oregon in 1978 owned and operated Halfway Bowl there until 1988. Her and Don were divorced in 1988 and Jean moved back to the place she loved, San Diego. She was a caregiver and pet-sitter until around 2010. She maintained her registered nurse status until her passing.

In recent years she traveled to various parts of the United States to visit and spend time with family and friends and went to Cuba to spend time with family friends. In the past she has visited France, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand, She went on cruises to Hawaii and Alaska and more. She remained fiercely independent until the very end, insisting on staying in her home and even venturing out alone at 5 am on Black Friday to the Home Depot to get Poinsettias for some friends

Jean is survived by her son, Bob, and wife Debbie; A grandson, Rob and wife Ashley; A granddaughter, Lindsay, her husband Tom (Holden) Donahue; and one great-grand-daughter Alexis.

She cherished all of her family and good friends that blessed her throughout her life. She remained in contact with childhood friends, nursing school friends, friends from Toledo Oh, Halfway OR and San Diego up until her last day. Though she never “got” the PC and email, she loved corresponding. She just made her “miracle trip”, after her cancer diagnosis, cross-country with Bob and Debbie to her grandson, Robs, wedding to Ashley Gorvin in Sept of this year; then on to Ohio to spend time with cousins, niece and old friends. She most recently treasured her time with a dear family friend, Lisa Stearns, who traveled from Cuba to spend time with her.

The family cannot express there love and gratitude enough to friends: Lisa and her husband; Gaynell; Polly; Jean; Anita; William, Anna; Howard; Mary K and Jerry; the folks at The Orchard; and the folks at Apreva Hospice for all they have done, the love and care they have shown Jean.