Thomas Hill Carson, Jr.

Thomas Hill Carson, Jr.
Greenville, SC

Thomas Hill Carson, Jr., husband of Jane Sutherland Carson, of 209 South Woodgreen Way, Greenville, South Carolina, died December 10, 2011, at home.

He was born July 20, 1926, in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Hill Carson. He served his country in the Navy during the Second World War.

Dr. Carson attended Vanderbilt University and the University of New Mexico where he graduated with a degree in Education. Following graduation, he was employed by Sears as Customer Service Manager in Texarkana, Texas. He undertook his theological studies at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 1954. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by The University of the South in 1979.

Dr. Carson's first assignment was to be Vicar of St. James Church in Greeneville, Tennessee, from 1954 to 1956. At that time he started a new congregation, St. Peter's, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he served as Rector for eight years. In 1964, he was called to be Rector at Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville, South Carolina, where he served for fifteen years. In July, 1979, Dr. Carson became the first Executive for Stewardship for the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church at the national headquarters in New York, New York. Dr. Carson served on the Board of Trustees of Voorhees College, and also as Trustee of the Episcopal Church Building Fund in New York.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his three children; Hill Carson and his wife, Susan, of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kay Carson Vaughan and her husband, Rick, of Sunset, South Carolina, and Clare Carson Jones and her husband, Bob, of Greenville. Also surviving are six grandchildren; Cindy Carson Soliday and her husband, David, Susan Carson Golden and her husband, Ryan, all of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kathy Vaughan Jones and her husband, Kevin, Carson Vaughan and his wife Amy, Bryson Jones and his wife, Elizabeth, all of Greenville, South Carolina, and Charlotte Jones Ward and her husband, Andrew, of Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Carson is also survived by ten great grandchildren, a brother, John Carson, of Texarkana, Texas, and a sister, Kitty Carson Ellis, of Las Vegas, Nevada. He is predeceased by a sister, Penny Carson England, and a brother, Dick Carson.

Funeral services will be held at Christ Church, 10 North Church Street, Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends in the McCall Parlor at Christ Church immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Christ Church Endowment Fund, 10 North Church Street, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, or to the charity of choice.

Mackey Mortuary is handling the arrangements.