James Edmund Carson

James Edmund Carson, Sr., 81, of Atlanta died peacefully Thursday morning, May 8, 2014 at Budd Terrace Nursing Home. For 20 years prior to retirement in 1999, Mr. Carson was vice-president of development, Egleston Children's Hospital at Emory University. Born September 5, 1932 in Bristol, Tennessee, he was pursuing a career in sports journalism when he joined the staff of The Atlanta Constitution in 1956. His first newspaper experience began with The Bristol, Virginia Herald-Courier in 1950 while a college student, later becoming a Southwest Virginia correspondent for The Associated Press. When returning from U.S. Army service as a public information specialist, Mr. Carson joined the Appalachian Broadcasting Company where he conducted a radio sports program. Later when television first came to East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, he initiated a daily TV sports show and narrated film replays of University of Tennessee football. Shortly after joining The Atlanta Constitution, Mr. Carson was assigned to the outdoor sports beat. The opening of Lake Lanier to boaters and fishermen in 1957 created unprecedented interest in these sports and Mr. Carson led the development of weekly pages devoted to news of hunting, fishing and boating throughout Georgia. Mr. Carson was mentored in outdoor writing by the late Charlie Elliott, nationally known field editor of Outdoor Life magazine and the association became a 43-year friendship and finally a business partnership in Flat Rock Press, a company that published many of Mr. Elliott's books in the '90s. Mr. Carson's interest in non-profit work led to an appointment in 1967 to the administrative staff of Wesley Homes and he was involved in the rapid development of the institution's services for the elderly under sponsorship of the United Methodist Church. From 1970 until 1974, he was Director of Health Services. He later established Wesley Homes first development and community relations office promoting financial support of the growing ministry. In 1979 Mr. Carson moved to Egleston Hospital to establish staff support services in fund raising and public relations. During the next 20 years Egleston experienced extraordinary growth in bed capacity, inauguration of organ transplant services and satellite services. The hospital conducted two capital campaigns totaling $75 million dollars during Mr. Carson's tenure while attracting community support through public events totaling more than $4 million dollars annually. Mr. Carson was an early advocate of merging Egleston and Scottish Rite Hospitals, eliminating costly competition. Mr. Carson was the founding president of the Georgia Association of Homes For The Aging, past Board President of Young Singers of Callanwolde, and a 25-year member of the Association For Healthcare Philanthropy. He served as advisor to the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Education Fund, an endowment Mr. Elliott established to promote interest in a career in wildlife management and conservation. Mr. Carson was educated at East Tennessee State University, Emory and Henry College, University of Michigan and the U.S. Army Information School. He was a member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church, Druid Hills Golf Club and The American Legion. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 50 years, Gay and his sister, Virginia of Richmond, VA. He is survived by his two children, Jim, Jr., an Atlanta architect and Laura, an actress in Los Angeles, a granddaughter Katharine currently studying at LSU and his two remaining sisters, Katharine in New York, NY and Jane in Richmond, VA. His body was cremated. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, May 21 at 3pm at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Child Life Fund, Attn: Margaret Cross-Shelnutt, 1577 North East Expressway, Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30329.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033