Mr. Phillip Phil Roger Carson

The fish of Lake Mead can breathe a sigh of relief, Phil Carson has gone on to fish other waters. At 97 when he passed away July 13, 2010, Phil still looked for the opportunity to hook the big one. A resident of the Las Vegas area for the past 72 years, he witnessed the astounding changes that have taken place in the valley and beyond. Phil built and ran Phil Carson Cabinet shop from the late 1940's until he retired at 80 in 1993. He was born in Wray, Colorado, December 17, 1912 and , after graduating from high school there, he worked as a lineman and pole setter for Bell Telephone. When the cold and snow finally got to be too much, he moved to Las Vegas with his wife Ulah to build houses, along with his father Will Carson, for the Hampton Brothers. Phil always said that he really retired when he started his own business. For years his was the only business in Vegas that built gaming furniture for the ever growing number of casinos. He said he preferred the cash-and-a-handshake way of doing business in the early days to the corporate bureaucracy of later years. Working for himself let him take time to go fishing whenever there was a good excuse and take the summers off to pack his wife and four kids into the station wagon and travel. Summers became the time to go for the big fish off of the Washington coast and for the past 40 years he became a part-time resident of Olympia, Washington, where his youngest daughter lives. Phil enjoyed his family, visiting with friends and , especially, taking anyone fishing that showed interest. He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty years, Ulah (Ranum) Carson and a son Roger Carson. Phil is survived by three daughters, Phyllis Ricco and Frances (Craig) Carson Escarzaga, both of Las Vegas, and Pene (Jim) Speaks of Olympia, Washington, brother Robert Carson of Texas, five grandchildren and at least five great grandchildren. This smart witty, generous man will be missed by his family, friends and acquaintances who quickly came to love and admire him.