Douglas Carson
Today, my dad's oldest brother died, after many days of preparation. And, really, months and years of preparation. He was 68.
Uncle Doug was a little socially awkward, always quirky, reserved. He took pictures of food before the Internet, and even made at least one album of photographs of dinners he'd had. The last picture in the album is photo of a toilet bowl.
He was the oldest son of a difficult father, and suffered in the military academy where he and his brothers went for high school. He worked hard to live the life that was expected of him. He loved to golf. He has a daughter, my cousin Sarah, who is my age. He lived with Parkinson's for many years.
Doug was a really good person. He was incredibly amiable and regularly struck up friendly conversations with strangers. While sitting at his deathbed, his daughter told the story of him not arriving in Boston for her to meet him because he had started a conversation during his layover and decided to miss his flight in order to continue it.
For many years, he was my only family in Boston; most other Carsons live out west, and we bonded over that.
Doug greatly looked forward to retirement as the time in his life when he could kick back a enjoy, but before he could do that, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and took an early disability retirement that looked so different from what he hoped or imagined.
I will miss him, an the world is a less wonderful place without him.
In his memory, please do somethig pleasurable or wonderful today that you had thought to put off to a later time.
Uncle Doug was a little socially awkward, always quirky, reserved. He took pictures of food before the Internet, and even made at least one album of photographs of dinners he'd had. The last picture in the album is photo of a toilet bowl.
He was the oldest son of a difficult father, and suffered in the military academy where he and his brothers went for high school. He worked hard to live the life that was expected of him. He loved to golf. He has a daughter, my cousin Sarah, who is my age. He lived with Parkinson's for many years.
Doug was a really good person. He was incredibly amiable and regularly struck up friendly conversations with strangers. While sitting at his deathbed, his daughter told the story of him not arriving in Boston for her to meet him because he had started a conversation during his layover and decided to miss his flight in order to continue it.
For many years, he was my only family in Boston; most other Carsons live out west, and we bonded over that.
Doug greatly looked forward to retirement as the time in his life when he could kick back a enjoy, but before he could do that, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and took an early disability retirement that looked so different from what he hoped or imagined.
I will miss him, an the world is a less wonderful place without him.
In his memory, please do somethig pleasurable or wonderful today that you had thought to put off to a later time.