1951
James
2010
James Earl Carlson
November 10, 1951 — November 7, 2010
James Earl ``Jimmy' Carlson, entered the gates of Heaven on Sunday, November 7, 2010 to be with the Lord and to be reunited with his loved ones. He was three days short of celebrating his 59th birthday.
Despite a lifetime of physical struggles related to Cerebral Palsy and eleven years of compromised health, his positive attitude regarding life and the smile that lit up rooms remained until the very end.
Jimmy was born and raised in Akron, spending many years attending the United Cerebral Palsy Center. He was home-schooled through the Akron Public Schools and graduated from Firestone High School in 1969. Never letting his disability get in the way of accomplishing something or in the way of having some fun, he lived his life to the fullest. He looked forward to camp every summer at Camp Echoing Hills, traveled to Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., the Seattle World's Fair, Florida, San Francisco, the Grand Canyon, multiple trips to Hawaii and cruises to the Caribbean and to Alaska. He moved into Echoing Ridge Residential Center for the Handicapped in Canal Fulton in 1983, transferring to Echoing Hills in Coshocton in 1990. In 1992 he married his sweetheart, Susie Davis, who he met at camp. They spent their life together at Echoing Hills. While he was still able, he spent a great deal of time outdoors navigating around Echoing Hills in his electric wheel chair. He read to the children at the library in Coshocton by programming his ``liberator', he enjoyed writing poems and essays, and he was the consummate statistician of anything involving the Indians, the Browns, the Cavaliers and the Ohio State Buckeyes. His mind was like a trap, and his memory unsurpassed. Jimmy spent his last two years at Windsong at Chambrel in Akron.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Davis Carlson; his father, Earl John Carlson and loving grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. He is survived by his mother, Rose Carlson of Akron; sisters, Sandra Shackelford Bruce and Linda Aulino Tony of Akron; brother, Lee Carlson Clare of Pleasanton, Calif.; nieces, Erin Grosenbaugh Jeff, Amy Henretty McKay, and Tara Tober Scholles Jon; nephews, Andy Shackelford Jordan, Todd Tober Kimi Wagstaff, Tim Tober Melissa, Stephen Carlson Olivia Brown and Michael Carlson Vanessa; great nieces and nephews, Taylor, Brooke and Paige Grosenbaugh, Mason, Jayden and Emerson Shackelford, McKenzie and Ryan Henretty, Will Tober and Natalia and Andrea Carlson, and special friend, Angie Pickerall. In addition, he is survived by many aunts, cousins, step-nieces and nephews and friends who loved him and with whom he shared his love of life.
We would like to thank the staffs at Echoing Hills, Echoing Ridge, at Windsong and at the Hospice Care Center on Ridgewood Road for the love and care they invested in Jimmy's life. His life was enhanced by more people than we could ever acknowledge, but all to whom we are eternally grateful.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Billow Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. The funeral service will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home, followed by interment at Mount Peace Cemetery. If desired, donations may be made to Camp Echoing Hills, 36273 County Road 79, Warsaw, Ohio, 43844.
FAIRLAWN Chapel
Despite a lifetime of physical struggles related to Cerebral Palsy and eleven years of compromised health, his positive attitude regarding life and the smile that lit up rooms remained until the very end.
Jimmy was born and raised in Akron, spending many years attending the United Cerebral Palsy Center. He was home-schooled through the Akron Public Schools and graduated from Firestone High School in 1969. Never letting his disability get in the way of accomplishing something or in the way of having some fun, he lived his life to the fullest. He looked forward to camp every summer at Camp Echoing Hills, traveled to Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., the Seattle World's Fair, Florida, San Francisco, the Grand Canyon, multiple trips to Hawaii and cruises to the Caribbean and to Alaska. He moved into Echoing Ridge Residential Center for the Handicapped in Canal Fulton in 1983, transferring to Echoing Hills in Coshocton in 1990. In 1992 he married his sweetheart, Susie Davis, who he met at camp. They spent their life together at Echoing Hills. While he was still able, he spent a great deal of time outdoors navigating around Echoing Hills in his electric wheel chair. He read to the children at the library in Coshocton by programming his ``liberator', he enjoyed writing poems and essays, and he was the consummate statistician of anything involving the Indians, the Browns, the Cavaliers and the Ohio State Buckeyes. His mind was like a trap, and his memory unsurpassed. Jimmy spent his last two years at Windsong at Chambrel in Akron.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Davis Carlson; his father, Earl John Carlson and loving grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. He is survived by his mother, Rose Carlson of Akron; sisters, Sandra Shackelford Bruce and Linda Aulino Tony of Akron; brother, Lee Carlson Clare of Pleasanton, Calif.; nieces, Erin Grosenbaugh Jeff, Amy Henretty McKay, and Tara Tober Scholles Jon; nephews, Andy Shackelford Jordan, Todd Tober Kimi Wagstaff, Tim Tober Melissa, Stephen Carlson Olivia Brown and Michael Carlson Vanessa; great nieces and nephews, Taylor, Brooke and Paige Grosenbaugh, Mason, Jayden and Emerson Shackelford, McKenzie and Ryan Henretty, Will Tober and Natalia and Andrea Carlson, and special friend, Angie Pickerall. In addition, he is survived by many aunts, cousins, step-nieces and nephews and friends who loved him and with whom he shared his love of life.
We would like to thank the staffs at Echoing Hills, Echoing Ridge, at Windsong and at the Hospice Care Center on Ridgewood Road for the love and care they invested in Jimmy's life. His life was enhanced by more people than we could ever acknowledge, but all to whom we are eternally grateful.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Billow Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. The funeral service will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home, followed by interment at Mount Peace Cemetery. If desired, donations may be made to Camp Echoing Hills, 36273 County Road 79, Warsaw, Ohio, 43844.
FAIRLAWN Chapel
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