Carson
Arthur White, born November 20, 1914
in
Chicago, Illinois; died at the age of 86
on
March 21, 2001 at his home in Auburn, California
Carson
Arthur White, born November 20, 1914
in
Chicago, Illinois; died at the age of 86
on
March 21, 2001 at his home in Auburn, California
Carson grew up in Oakland, California. He attended Bay Area schools, graduating from Castlemont High School, Merrit Business School, attended California Extension College in San Francisco, and took correspondent courses in Journalism.
While in school, he excelled in sports, track and field, tennis, golf, basketball, and exhibition diving and swimming. Later he enjoyed skiing and scuba diving.
Carson held numerous jobs:
· Worked in the office of
Inter City Title Co.
· New York Life Insurance
Co.
· Time Keeping Bureau of
the Southern Pacific Railroad Co. office in San Francisco
· Became secretary to the
Manager of the “Hotels, Restaurants and Dining Cars” of the S.P.
· Worked for Interocean
Steamship Co. in the San Francisco Bay harbor office
· Sold Nash (Cooper Nash)
and Chevrolet (Val Strough) automobiles.
Carson married, Violet Hanson, in 1942 after joining the U.S Navy in 1941. The Navy sent him away from the ocean, to the Denver, Colorado Navy Recruiting Office.
Finally Carson was sent overseas aboard the USS CURTISS, a seaplane tender, as Admiral Hoover’s top-secret Yeoman. The ship went to Guam, Saipan and Okinawa. Carson met some interesting personalities, including Intelligence Officer, Henry Fonda (Carson took a picture with him propped up in a chair with his feet on a railing – Fonda had a sense of humor and sent copies to his son & daughter with the caption: “Daddy winning the WAR”).
After WWII, Carson returned to California and pursued his love of snow skiing while working many jobs, including writing and reporting ski news for: California/Nevada Ski News(published in Auburn) as their Bay Area Representative; Sacramento Bee, Berkeley Gazette, San Francisco Examiner (Winter Sports Editor for 10+ years, under the pen name "Kit Carson White"); KGO RadioandKPIX-TV Ski Reporter.
Carson helped create and was the first President of the Northern California & Nevada Winter Sports Writer’s Association. As a ski writer he had the opportunity to cover winter sports activities all over the world, including France and Austria. While covering the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley, he met Lowell Thomas. He then helped form the U.S. Ski Writer’s Association (now: North American Snowsports Journalism Association). Organized an annual North/South ski race each Spring, at Yosemite. He has been nominated to the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, MI.
Carson was also a Past-President of the Oakland Ski Club.
Carson officially moved his family to Donner Lake (Truckee) in 1960 to continue his love of skiing by becoming the Public Relations Directors for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows (not at the same time) while selling real estate. He was President of Truckee-Donner Chamber of Commerce, President of the Truckee Lions, helped form and served as the Chairman of the Donner Lake Property Owner’s Association. He, twice (1990 & 1995), has been the Grand Marshal for the Truckee 4th of July Parade.
Carson was a Life Member in Lions International. He and Vi were very active with the GMC 49rs motor home club; Carson served a year as President.
He founded Donner Lake Realty, at the West End, in 1973, joined the Tahoe Sierra Board of REALTORS® & Multiple Listing Service®; son, Charlie took over as Broker in 1978 and incorporated the business.
Carson and, Violet, his wife of 59 years, retired to Auburn in 1996 for health reasons; but their hearts remain at Donner Lake.
Carson is survived by his wife Violet, in Auburn; son, Charles and Grandson, Chris, in Truckee. The "Remembering Carson Day" took place on a very beautiful Saturday, May 26, 2001, at the West End of Donner Lake.
Photos and more links will be added as time permits, so return in a few days. If you have photos you'd like to share, please e-mail them to me ("jpg" format): fyi@donner-lake.com.
Here is a copy of "OWED
TO CARSON" from, Don "Snoshu" Thompson, as read by his Daughter, Corrin
Keck.
