J.E. Carson

Decatur ~ J.E. Carson, 89, a retired school administrator, passed away Monday, October 1, 2018 in Decatur.

Memorial Service is at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 4, 2018 at First United Methodist Church in Decatur. Interment is at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.

Rev. Dr. Brian Bosworth will officiate the service. Pallbearers include Roy Eaton, Charles Burton, Derrick Boyd, Juan Flores, Ronnie Gage, David Mosley, Jimmy Brummell and Mark Cocanougher. Honorary pallbearers are Bill Wiley, Alford Talley, Charles Long, Bennie Rutherford, Darrell Ley, Tom Ferguson, Bobby Wilson, Will Klose, Jeremy House, including past and present Decatur Independent School District superintendents Kenneth McKay,  Rod Townsend and Dr. Judi Whitis.

J.E. was born on October 4, 1928 to Joseph Benson and Mary Emma Dodge Carson in Santa Rita, Texas.  He married Betty Burnett on July 9, 1954 in Decatur. J.E. retired from Decatur Independent School District as a school administrator.  He attended Greenwood School in Greenwood and graduated from Slidell High School in Slidell. J.E. graduated from North Texas State University with a B.S. degree, where he played basketball his freshman year.  He served two years in the United States Army.  Following his honorable discharge, he taught at Paradise ISD, where he later coached varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball.

After J.E. and Betty married, they moved to Kaufman, where he was the high school principal and boys’ basketball coach at Scurry-Rosser.  The following year, the Carsons moved to Decatur, where J.E. taught junior and senior high math and coached the boys’ junior varsity basketball team.  He also started the Decatur High School baseball program.  In addition to teaching, J.E. became a Division II basketball official, officiating more than 1,100 games over a 25 year period.

J.E. received his M.Ed. degree in the 1960’s from N.T.S.U. He continued teaching middle school math until he became the Decatur Middle School principal in 1971, a position he held until his retirement in 1990.  His slogan from D.M.S., often repeated at D.I.S.D. school board meetings was, “Teaching and learning are still going on at Decatur Middle School.”

As a member of the First United Methodist Church in Decatur, J.E. was a loyal member of the Men’s Class and served on the Finance Committee and building committee.  For 12 years, he served on the Decatur Planning & Zoning Commission.  At the time of his death, he was a member of the Decatur Housing Board and the Decatur Water Board.

Golf was a huge part of J.E.’s life.  He is a charter member of the Decatur Country Club and a member of the Senior Oil Belt Golf Association.  The D.C.C. senior golfers, of which he was a “member,” were nicknamed the “Rat Patrol.”  Beginning in 1998, J.E. shot his age or better over 1,500 times.

In 2001, the D.I.S.D. School Board recognized the Carsons by naming Carson Elementary School in their honor.  Together, J.E. and Betty have a combined total of 78 years of service to the Decatur Independent School District.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

J.E. is survived by his wife, Betty Carson of Decatur; his daughter, Carol Ann Carson of Decatur; his sister-n-law, Wanda Kite and husband, Alton Kite of Gainesville; his chosen family, Nancy Brummell Boyd; Derrick Boyd and wife, Cheri Boyd and children, Emily, Ainsley and Finley; Will Klose and wife, Crystal Boyd Klose and children, Kyndal and Trey, all of Decatur; Katherine Hildenbrand and children, Linnea and Margot of Denton; and a host of friends.

If desired, memorials may be made to Decatur Education Foundation, Decatur Public Library, or WARM.

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