Dr. James William Carson, Colonel, USAF (retired)

James William Carson, age 94, of Houston, Texas, formerly of O'Fallon, born January 26, 1916 in Enid, Oklahoma, the oldest of five children, passed away Friday evening, April 16, 2010 in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Carson received his B.S. degree from the Central State Teacher's College, in Edmond, Okla. (currently known as University of Central Oklahoma), and his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from University of Missouri-Kansas City, in Kansas City, Missouri. He had taught at Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City, and practiced Dentistry in Oklahoma. He then joined the US Air Force as a dental officer and was stationed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, Utah, Illinois, Japan, England, West Germany, and South Korea. He served during World War II, Korean Conflict and the Viet Nam eras, retiring from his long and prestigious military career in 1971 as a colonel at Scott AFB. Continuing to make O'Fallon home, he served at Washington University Dental School, St. Louis, as a professor, retiring in 1984. He and his wife were charter members of St. Nicholas Catholic Church, O'Fallon, and Dr. Carson was a former member of the Knights of Columbus. In March 2007, he moved to Houston to be near his family.

Dr. Carson was preceded in death by his beloved wife, A. Eileen, nee Hennessey, Carson, whom he married June 6, 1942, in Oklahoma City, and who passed away September 9, 1999; his parents Leland and Ida, nee Alkire, Carson; brothers Iman, Lee and Stanley, and sister Virginia Tompkins.

He is survived by his son, Dr. Robert E. Carson, and his wife, Linda, of Edmond, Oklahoma; daughter Diane E. Coats and her husband, Mike, of Houston, Texas; three grandchildren Dr. John R. (Kimberly) Carson, Laura M. (Patrick) Larkin, and Paul Coats; and two great-granddaughters, twins Abby and Anna Larkin, and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Nicholas Catholic Church Building Fund.

Visitation: Friends may gather from 9:30 – 10:30 am, Monday, April 26, 2010 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, O'Fallon.

Funeral: Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 am, with Rev. William Hitpas presiding. Interment with full military honors will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.