JoEllen Varsalona Carlson

Tampa Bay area resident, and the daughter of Joe and Helen Varsalona. She graduated from C.

Leon King High School where she was later inducted into the King H. S. Wall of Pride in honor

and recognition of her many accomplishments. She received her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD

Degrees from the University of South Florida (USF) where she also served on the faculty for two

different periods. In between, she was an Assistant Vice President in charge of certification and

licensure testing programs at ACT in Iowa City where she met her loving husband, Jim. She

also served on the faculty at Troy State University, as Director of Certification Testing and

Continuing Education at the New York Stock Exchange, and on the staffs of two other testing

organizations, Educational Testing Service and CTB/McGraw Hill. She is survived by her

mother, Helen Varsalona; husband, Dr. James (Jim) Carlson; daughter, Gina Miles (Chris); son,

Joel Perez; two stepsons, Brian (Darin) and Keith Carlson (Wendy); along with seven grandsons

Michael, Nathan, Matthew, Jordan, Jonathan, Jason & Taylor and one granddaughter Josie

(mother, Sarah). Jointly with her husband she participated in a number of philanthropic

activities: Theatre (Stageworks Theatre, freeFall Theatre, Tampa Opera, The Straz Center,

Tampa Theatre); LGBTQ (Equality Florida, The Human Rights Campaign, The Trevor Project);

and Education (The Drs. James & JoEllen Carlson Scholarship program at USF). Additionally,

Dr. Carlson served about 40 years as a testing expert consultant for the Association of Real

Estate License Law Organizations licensure testing program. She lived a full and meaningful

life and will be missed by her family and dear friends. Her examples of achievement, generosity

and fun spirit will leave a lasting legacy. In lieu of flowers, donations to Equality Florida,

Stageworks Theatre, freeFall Theatre and A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay are appreciated.