Frankie Duane Carson

Frankie Duane Carson

Frankie Duane Carson was born on February 16, 1948, at the Hale Ranch in Jefferson Township, Ringgold County, Diagonal Iowa to Leo Frank Carson and Dorothy Marie Ruby. Frank gained his wings on May 10, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines after a short, but hard-fought battle with lymphoma.
Frank grew up and lived in the Diagonal area all his life, except from 2003 to 2010 when he and wife Sue manage Summit House Apartments in Creston. But Frank traveled back and forth daily to check on the Diagonal farm. In 2010, Frank and Sue established residence in Knowlton Iowa (north of Diagonal) on his parent’s former homestead.
Frank married Barb Smith on March 26, 1966. Through this union Kenneth Duane was born. They later divorced in 1969. Frank married Fannie Sue Garner on December 4, 1971. Through this union Melinda Sue, Trisha Rena, and Nicholas Eugene were born.
Frank worked for Galen Stephens, the Goins Family milking cows, and Taylor Fiberglass in his younger years. In June 1966, Frank started working at Hills McCann (later became known as Wellman’s Dynamics) in Creston, Iowa. He retired from there 44 years later in July 2010. He also served as the part-time maintenance person for Summit House Apartments from 2003 to 2010. Frank retired into farming on his 40 acres of heaven north of Diagonal having hay, cows, and the occasional deer. Frank enjoyed going to watch his grandkids play all sports from football to softball, basketball to volleyball, and archery. He was very supportive, and you could always hear him yell from the bench. He loved to go fishing with the grandkids in the pond next to the house. In his younger years you could find him hunting with the gang from Arkansas on the first weekend of pheasant season in October. But the excitement really happened when the friends and family from Illinois came to hunt. Frank loved to play cards and cribbage. He and Sue were part of a card club with three other couples that started meeting monthly in December 1976 with the latest get together being just two weeks ago. Frank and Sue played cribbage three times daily keeping track of wins and losses on a yearly basis. Frank was never ahead.
He loved to go to auctions, but his family was very nervous each time he came home from an auction wondering how big the pickup load of junk was this time. He also enjoyed woodworking, dancing, and every August could be found going to the Iowa State Fair at least one day.
Frank was preceded in death by son Kenny Carson; parents Leo and Dorothy Carson; parents-in-law Marion and Mildred Garner; step mother-in-law Mick Garner; brother Jack Carson; brothers-in-law Bill Garner, Harold Garner, Ryland Garner, Bill Ward; sisters-in-law Betty Garner, LoDean Garner, Maxine Tridle, Lois Garner, Mary Evelyn Garner, Debbie Garner; nieces Carrie Lee, Amy Jilg; nephews Ronny Garner, Tony Garner.
Frank is survived by wife Sue Carson; children Melinda (Jon) Schaefer, Diagonal; Trisha (Doug) Dickinson, Creston; Nicholas (Tiffany Thornburg, friend) Carson, Orient; Grandchildren Mitchel (Stormy) Schaefer, Winterset; Keni Schaefer, Diagonal; Karly Calvin, Creston; Grace Dickinson, Ankeny; Aleah Calvin, Creston; Dylan Calvin, Creston; Max Dickinson, Ankeny; Dakota (Samantha) Spurrier, Carlisle; Harper (Tyler) Booth, Pella; Lillie Spurrier, Creston; Percie Carson, West Des Moines; Logann Carson, Orient; Maisyn Carson, Orient; Kolbie Carson, Orient; Tucker Carson, Orient; Logan Keeney and Lexie Keeney of Pleasantville; Great Grandchildren Otto Schaefer, Winterset; and Baby Cub Spurrier due in July 2024, Carlisle. Sisters-in-law Virginia Carson of Diagonal, Bonnie Ward of Shenandoah, IA and Georgia Garner of Carrollton, IL; brother-in-law William Tridle of Orient, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Services will be held at Wishard Chapel Church, 1796 State Hwy 169, Mount Ayr, Iowa on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 11 a.m. Family visitation is preceding the services starting at 9 a.m. until the start of the service. Burial is in the Knowlton Cemetery followed by a luncheon at Wishard Chapel Church. Memorials are to go to the family to be determined at a later date. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr was in charge of Frank’s services.