Harry S. Carson

UPDATE: There will be a celebration of life service on Saturday, July 10, 2021. Parking begins at 2:00 P.M. at the National Trail Fire Department, 362 Church St. Gratiot, OH 43740.


Harry S. Carson, 87, of Newark passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.  He was born in June of 1933 in Grove City, OH, the youngest son of Ray and Elsie Carson.
 
Harry spent his teen years growing up along Flint Ridge and was a 1952 graduate of Hopewell High School. He and Marilyn (Osburn) Carson were married in 1956 while he was in the U.S. Air Force. He began his aeronautics career in the military, serving as a navigator and eventually reaching the rank of Captain. He served many peacetime missions and was recalled into the Air Force for the Cuban Missile Crisis, given only a one-hour notice to report.
 
Harry and Marilyn settled on 94 acres near Gratiot, OH where they farmed until the mid-1980s.  He and his family focused on raising Hereford cattle, corn, and clover hay. Harry worked on navigation systems at the Newark Air Force Base until moving to Merritt Island, FL to work for the NASA Space Center at Cape Canaveral.
 
Harry worked on the payloads of the Space Shuttle program, including the shuttle Discovery’s ‘Return to Flight’ mission in 1988, following the Challenger disaster.  Later, at McDonnell Douglas, he worked on the ignition systems of Delta rockets.
 
Harry was committed to his community and served, as a member of the West Muskingum School Board, was a 4-H advisor for 20 years, and a member of the Brownsville Senior Citizens.  He was honored to serve alongside other volunteers at the National Trail Fire Department in Gratiot.
 
A longtime golf enthusiast, Harry truly relished being challenged by his golfing buddies each week. In retirement, he and Marilyn enjoyed traveling, having been to almost every US state, including Alaska and Hawaii. Harry enjoyed following his grandchildren's sporting, artistic and musical events.  He attended tennis matches, concerts, water polo matches, and synchronized swimming competitions. Of course, he was an avid Ohio State Buckeye football fan and took pleasure in going to the games with his son.
 
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters: Margie, Marian and Marvine; brother Herb and beloved niece and nephews Cheryl Worthington, Leland McClain, Terry West, and Joe Siens.
 
Besides his loving wife Marilyn, he is survived by four children: Christi (Greg) Carson of Naples, FL; Craig (Elaine) Carson of Worthington, OH; Kim (Joe) Carson of Durango, CO; and Lisa (Travis) Davenport of Atlanta, GA.  Harry lives on through five grandchildren: Bob Carson, Stacy Carson, Ted Carson, Will Davenport, and Reese Davenport.
 
Friends may call from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at the BRYAN HARDWICK FUNERAL HOME, 2318 Maple Ave., Zanesville, Ohio 43701. Funeral Service at 11:00 AM on Monday, February 22, 2021 at Bryan and Hardwick Funeral Home. Burial with military honors immediately following the service at Poplar Forks Cemetery, Gratiot, Ohio.
 
The Family asks that masks and social distancing protocol be followed.
 
Due to the pandemic, there will be a celebration of life at a later date. Those who wish to share anecdotes, memories or photos of Harry, please send them to:
harryscarson@icloud.com.
 
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the West Muskingum Academic Fund, 4880 West Pike, Zanesville, OH  43701.

The Bryan & Hardwick Funeral Home, 2318 Maple Ave. Zanesville is in charge of the arrangements. To share memories and condolences with Harry’s family please click on the Tribute Wall tab on this page.

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