Neal Carson

Neal was born in 1933 in Arkansas to a very poor family. When asked once if he ever enjoyed the childhood pastime of hiding under the covers after he was supposed to be asleep with a flashlight and reading a treasured book, he responded abruptly, we didn’t HAVE flashlights. That about sums it up.

He was a hard worker from an early age. His first job was delivering papers, but being an overachiever his first job was actually having two jobs as he also cleaned the bank lobby before it opened for the day. The tricky part was, if he was late delivering papers he wouldn’t make it to the bank on time to clean the lobby. But he managed it. He went on to get an early start working in transportation as a teenager by cleaning the train station for the USPS.

After earning his Bachelor’s in Business from the University of Houston in 1958 (the first in his family to get a college degree), he properly began his career in the transportation industry. He then became a salesman for ABS, buying and growing his own transportation company. In recent years he supported the transportation industry by spending a great deal of time on planes, visiting friends and family as well as

traveling around the world.

After a successful career, and selling his company, he moved into “retirement.” He continued his lifelong work of being the best person he could be. Neal lovingly and consistently stayed “connected” to friends and family keeping them “in the loop” via regular text messages, phone calls, and visits.

During this phase of his life he started the Carson Foundation, the culmination of his life’s work. Through the Foundation he was able to support organizations domestically and in Central America that improved the lives of hundreds of people.

He is survived by his five daughters, Kellen VonHouser, Cheryl Carson, Taj Carson, Melanie Rook, and Rainy Atherton. He is also survived by many, many friends, chosen family, and fans who will miss him dearly.

The day before he died, Neal said “this is in Divine Order”. He was completely at peace with his life and his relationships. He also was a big fan of order, so that didn’t hurt.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Austin Blackhawks, sponsored by SportsVision 2020. SportsVision empowers the blind and visually impaired through beep baseball, an adaptation of America’s favorite sport. Donations can be made through PayPal at sportsvision2020.org or sent to 4106 Ridgeline Dr., Austin, TX 78731

A visitation for Neal will be held Saturday, December 31, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Weed-Corley-Fish South Chapel, 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. A funeral service will occur Saturday, December 31, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. A reception will occur Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 12:00 PM.