Carson Hubert Boone Jr.

Carson Hubert Boone Jr., 94, of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away on October 30, 2025. Intelligent, gregarious, funny, and a friend to more people than he could count. Carson was also an accomplished photographer, painter, and a fantastic dancer. He did not let life go by, but participated to the fullest, every minute of his 94 wonderful years on this earth.

If you ever saw Carson, he was usually dressed in a freshly pressed blue oxford-cloth shirt, khaki pants, and a straw fedora or a ball cap even at home. Carson always had an open-door policy. No matter what time of the day, friends and family were always welcome to stop by. He greeted every person by shouting your name enthusiastically, as if he had not seen you in years. Then, you would receive a big hug, pat on the back, or a fist bump. Without fail, he always had a way of making everyone feel like the most important person the moment you stepped inside of his home.

Carson did not spend many days bored. If he wasn't working on a project, he could be found rocking on his front porch, where he would wave to people and invite them to sit and rock with him. Often times, meals were eaten on the porch, accompanied by lively conversation and stories. If Carson wasn't on the porch, he could be found inside, sitting in his favorite red club chair, beside a row of bookcases he had filled with treasures that told the story of his life.

He was born on November 25, 1930, in Faison, North Carolina. Carson was the only son of the late Carson Hubert Boone Sr., and Lucille Faison. He spent most of his boyhood in and around Six Runs Creek, a beloved body of tannin-stained water in Sampson County, which he told his children "flows through the roots of my legacy and ancestral origin."

His family eventually moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where he graduated from New Hanover High School. Some of his fondest memories came from his time in Wilmington. Carson often told stories about the Lumina Pavilion at Wrightsville Beach. That's where he learned how to dance and appreciate big band music. His love for dancing followed him all the way into his adult years, when he took dance classes, joined dance clubs, and became a regular at the original "Live after 5" concerts on Fayetteville Street in the 1990's.

After high school, Carson attended North Carolina State University, where he graduated with a degree in civil engineering. He also served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Carson eventually made Raleigh his home and worked in the construction industry for 40 years.

Retirement allowed Carson to focus on all of his interests. He was extremely passionate about photography, where he specialized in black and white film, which he developed at home. Carson also loved traveling the back roads of eastern North Carolina, where he photographed all of the fascinating people he met and the unique architecture of the area. His work was exhibited in museums, galleries, and even in national shows. Carson liked to paint and finished many beautiful pieces of artwork during his retirement years. Outside of photography and art, he was also a history buff and wrote several short stories. As one of his friends recently recalled, Carson had an inquiring mind that was always researching and documenting the past. His engineer's brain, combined with his creativity, meant he could fix just about anything.

During the later years of retirement, he began to enjoy the simpler things in life like food and cooking. Carson regularly tore out recipes in the newspaper. However, when he wasn't trying out new recipes he could be found trying to master his mother's southern cooking. Carson had a love affair with oysters, fried chicken, and BBQ. At one point, he set a goal to find the best barbecue in eastern North Carolina. Carson met this goal by taking day trips with a friend to find the winner.

Carson led a full and interesting life, but spending time with his family and friends was always his favorite thing to do. Even during his last days, he sat in his red chair and played the harmonica and relished in laughter with those around him. Carson was always able to find humor in anything, including himself, which often made everyone around join in laughter. Carson Boone lived a good life and will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his two children, daughter; Paige Keravuori and husband Chris, and his son; Carson H. Boone III and wife Hailey, and his three grandchildren; Hannah Carson Keravuori, Judson Walker Boone, and Kilby Fisher Boone.

The Boone Family would like to express their deepest gratitude to all of his wonderful friends for their kindness and companionship. And personally acknowledge, Brenda Caref, his best friend of 36 years, for her unconditional love and support throughout his life.

In terms of the care he was provided, the Boone Family would like to thank Adilene Rodriguez, his caregiver and friend for the last six years, for always loving and being patient with him while also helping him to live the life he wanted until the end. Lastly, a thank you goes out to Doris Benegas and Luiggie Mendez for their wonderful and compassionate care.

A celebration of life will be held on November 22, 2025 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM at 816 Faulkner Place, Raleigh, NC 27609.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, is serving the Boone family.